Quick summary
- The 50 State Quarters program ran from 1999 to 2008, with five states a year in order of statehood.
- The America the Beautiful program featured 56 national parks and sites from 2010 to 2021.
- The American Women Quarters program honored 20 women from 2022 to 2025.
- In 2026, quarters carry five one-year designs for the nation’s 250th anniversary, dated 1776–2026.
- In 2019 and 2020, the Mint released quarters with a W mint mark into circulation, a fun find in change.
For more than 25 years, the reverse of the quarter has changed regularly, celebrating states, places and people. That makes quarters a perfect series for new collectors.
50 State Quarters (1999–2008)
The program that started it all released five state designs a year, in the order the states joined the Union. It encouraged millions of people to start collecting from their change.
D.C. and U.S. Territories (2009)
Six designs honored the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
America the Beautiful (2010–2021)
Fifty-six quarters featured a national park or other national site in every state, D.C. and the territories. In 2019 and 2020, the Mint also released quarters with a W mint mark from West Point into circulation, a popular find for searchers.
American Women Quarters (2022–2025)
Twenty quarters honored women from many fields, including writers, scientists, activists and pioneers, with up to five designs a year.
The 250th anniversary (2026)
For the nation’s semiquincentennial, 2026 quarters carry five one-year designs, featuring the Mayflower Compact, the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Gettysburg Address, with the dual date 1776–2026. Other coins, including the dime, also have special designs for the year.
Collector’s tip
A folder or map with a slot for each design makes collecting from change satisfying. Check the mint mark on the front to see whether you need a P or D example.
How to collect them
- Search your change and bank rolls first.
- Collect by mint: P and D sets are a natural next step.
- Look for condition: a bright, lightly worn example looks much better in an album.
- Store them properly; see our guide to handling and storing coins.
Some quarters hide interesting varieties and errors, such as the 2004 Wisconsin “extra leaf” variety; our guide to error coins explains what to look for, and older quarters may even be silver.
Collector questions
Are state quarters valuable?
Most circulated examples are worth face value. Collectors enjoy them for completing sets, though uncirculated and proof coins and some varieties carry premiums.
Where can I find quarters I’m missing?
Check change, ask at the bank for rolls, or trade with other collectors. Uncirculated examples are also sold by the U.S. Mint and dealers.
What do P, D and S mean on quarters?
They’re mint marks: Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. Circulating quarters usually come from Philadelphia or Denver, while San Francisco makes proof coins for collectors.
Should I collect both P and D versions?
Many collectors do, using folders with spaces for each mint. It doubles the challenge without much extra cost.
Coin values change with demand, condition and metal prices. This guide is general information, not an appraisal or investment advice.
