You might want to check your change jar, as the U.S. Mint produced 34.3 billion state quarters during their 10-year production period, and some of these quarters are proving valuable to collectors.
From the 1990s through 2008, each state submitted designs for their own quarters. The final design was selected either by the state’s governor or through public votes. The quarters were then minted in Denver, Philadelphia, or San Francisco, with the mint’s location marked on each quarter.
One such quarter attracting attention is the Wisconsin state quarter, which features a cow, a wheel of cheese, an ear of corn, and the state’s motto, “Forward.” However, some of these quarters have an error – an extra leaf on the ear of corn. It’s unclear how this variation occurred, but these error coins, found only on Denver-minted quarters, are extremely rare and valuable.
Such a quarter with an extra leaf, either “high” or “low,” could fetch a pretty penny. For instance, two separate quarters with this error sold in mid-August for nearly $160 at Heritage Auction. Another sold in early 2020 went for $6,000.
Apart from the Wisconsin quarter, other state quarters with minting errors include several Minnesota quarters minted with an extra tree and District of Columbia quarters with extra lines on Duke Ellington’s sleeve.
In general, state quarters are worth only their face value of 25 cents. However, some quarters in mint condition, depending on the state and where they were minted, can be worth anywhere between $1 and $15, according to Coin Trackers. Silver proof quarters could be worth up to $55.
It’s recommended to take any potential error coins to a verified coin expert who can evaluate the item for free.