1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter Value & Identification Guide
The 1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter is easy to recognize by its dual date and colonial drummer reverse. The harder question is which issue you have: a common clad circulation coin, a Proof, or a 40% silver collector strike. Follow the mint-mark, edge, weight and condition evidence in that order.
Reviewed by the Coins Identification editorial team · Updated September 21, 2026
Start With the Issue, Not the Viral Price
Most Bicentennial quarters found in change are copper-nickel clad circulation coins. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark, Denver coins have a D, and San Francisco produced both clad Proofs and 40% silver collector versions. The dual date and drummer reverse are normal design features shared by the series.
Value rises for a different reason: silver composition, Proof status, unusually high certified grade, a recognized doubled die or a genuine mint error. Color, a missing-looking mint mark, a dramatic scratch or a social-media listing cannot establish one of those categories by itself.
1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter specifications
Use these as screening facts before making a value claim.
- Date
- 1776-1976 dual date
- Denomination
- Quarter Dollar
- Series
- Washington Quarter, Type 3 reverse
- Circulation mints
- Philadelphia (no mark) and Denver (D)
- Collector mint
- San Francisco (S)
- Normal clad weight
- 5.67 g
- 40% silver weight
- 5.75 g
- Diameter
- 24.30 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Clad P mintage
- 809,784,016
- Clad D mintage
- 860,118,839
- Reverse designer
- Jack L. Ahr
Which Bicentennial Quarter Do You Have?
Separate the metal and production category before comparing prices.
Philadelphia clad
- Normal circulation issue with no letter beside the date.
- Nominal weight is 5.67 g.
- Most circulated examples remain face-value coins.
Denver clad
- Look for the D beside the date.
- The ordinary issue is common in circulated grades.
- Top certified grades and attributed varieties are the exception.
San Francisco collector issue
- Separate clad Proofs from 40% silver strikes.
- Inspect the edge and record an accurate weight.
- Do not call an S coin silver without confirming the issue.
1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter Value by Type
Circulated clad, Proof, silver and certified varieties must stay in separate comparisons.
An ordinary clad Bicentennial quarter is usually a 25-cent coin when circulated. A clean, attractive uncirculated example can carry a small premium, while a high certified grade may become scarce. San Francisco Proofs and 40% silver pieces are collector products, so their value depends on issue, finish, grade and current demand.
The ranges below are practical market-orientation bands assembled from the linked PCGS issue records and completed sales. They are not promises for every raw coin and do not interpolate a grade that has not been certified. The asterisked top figures are specific auction results shown in the table farther down.
| Issue | Circulated | MS/PR 63–65 | MS/PR 66–67 | Exceptional certified results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia clad | Face value in circulation | $4–$8 | $10–$50 | $100–$2,520* |
| Denver clad | Face value in circulation | $4–$8 | $10–$75 | $100–$5,170* |
| S clad Proof | Collector premium | $3–$10 | $10–$100 | $250–$6,038* |
| S 40% silver regular | Silver value plus premium | $10–$20 | $20–$400 | $5,060–$19,200* |
| S 40% silver Proof | Proof and silver premium | $5–$15 | $15–$100 | $250–$1,495* |
The $19,200 and $8,400 figures belong to specifically certified coins, including a 1976-D DDO FS-101. They do not make every 1976-D or S quarter valuable.
1976 Quarter With No Mint Mark
No mint mark is the normal Philadelphia circulation format.
Philadelphia Bicentennial quarters were struck without a mint mark. The blank area beside the date is not a missing-letter error, and it does not prove a rare coin. The PCGS CoinFacts entry for the regular Philadelphia issue lists a mintage of 809,784,016 and identifies the coin as a copper-nickel clad quarter.
For a normal example, confirm the dual date, drummer reverse, reeded edge and approximately 5.67 g weight. Once those agree, the useful next question is condition: is the coin circulated, or does it have original Mint State surfaces that may justify certification?
1976-D Bicentennial Quarter
Read the D beside the date, then separate the normal issue from the recognized doubled die.
The regular 1976-D clad quarter has a mintage of 860,118,839 and is common in circulated grades. A clean, high-grade example can still be collectible because modern clad coins are difficult to preserve without marks. The correct comparison is a certified coin of the same grade, not a raw asking price.
PCGS also catalogs a 1976-D Doubled Die Obverse FS-101. That attributed variety is a separate collecting category. Look for a documented, repeatable doubling pattern and compare the entire obverse with the PCGS record before treating a D quarter as rare.
1976-S Bicentennial Quarter: Clad or Silver?
The S mint mark identifies the facility, not the metal by itself.
San Francisco produced several Bicentennial collector issues. The 1976-S clad Proof has a copper-nickel clad composition and a mintage of 7,059,099. The regular-strike 1976-S 40% silver issue has a mintage of 11,000,000, while the 1976-S 40% silver Proof has a mintage of 4,000,000.
The silver issues are nominally 5.75 g, not the 6.25 g standard used for 90% silver Washington quarters. A silver-colored surface is not enough: use the correct issue record, edge, weight and professional certification when a significant premium is at stake.
1976-S 40% Silver Bicentennial Quarter
Do not confuse it with a regular 90% silver Washington quarter.
The 1976-S 40% silver regular strike was made for collectors and is identified in PCGS CoinFacts as #5898. It has a 5.75 g nominal weight, a reeded edge and the same dual date and drummer reverse used for the Bicentennial program. Its silver content gives it a material floor, but grade and certification control the collector premium.
A circulated silver issue can be worth more than face value without being a rare error. Conversely, an unmarked Philadelphia clad coin is not silver simply because it looks bright. Keep composition, issue and grade as separate facts.
Clad vs 40% Silver: What Should You See?
Edge and weight are useful screening evidence, not final authentication.
| Feature | Clad circulation | 40% silver collector issue |
|---|---|---|
| Normal mints | Philadelphia, Denver; S clad Proof | San Francisco |
| Nominal weight | 5.67 g | 5.75 g |
| Edge clue | Copper core is commonly visible | More uniform silver-colored edge |
| What it proves | Supports a normal clad screen | Supports further testing only |
| Best next step | Judge condition and variety | Match the exact certified issue |
Why Does the Quarter Say 1776-1976?
The two-year date is the intended commemorative design.
The dual date marks the period of the American Bicentennial. The U.S. Mint used the 1776-1976 date on the special quarter design, and no normal circulating Bicentennial quarter is dated only 1975. A weak digit, die wear or a damaged hyphen can create visual confusion, but the dual date itself is not an error.
Read both sides before comparing value. The obverse continues the Washington portrait, while the reverse replaces the standard eagle with the colonial drummer composition selected for the celebration.
Drummer, Torch and Thirteen Stars
These features identify the commemorative reverse by design.
The Bicentennial reverse shows a colonial drummer facing left, a torch, thirteen stars and the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and QUARTER DOLLAR. The design was selected from a national competition and appears on both 1975- and 1976-dated quarters.
Do not describe the drummer, torch or star arrangement as a mint error. The standard Washington eagle reverse returned after the Bicentennial program, which is why the drummer is a strong first identification clue.
Which Bicentennial Quarter Errors Matter?
Recognized attribution is more important than a dramatic-looking mark.
1976-D DDO FS-101
PCGS catalogs this doubled die obverse as a recognized variety. Compare multiple obverse areas with the official CoinFacts entry.
Off-center strike
The design is displaced because the planchet was not centered. Date visibility and the percentage of the miss affect the comparison.
Clipped planchet
A genuine clip follows the blanking process and should show supporting physical diagnostics, not a post-mint bite or cut.
Struck-through or missing layer
Foreign material or a missing clad layer can be collectible, but damage and plating loss are common look-alikes.
A true error must make sense as a minting event and match known diagnostics. A scratch, gouge, stain, die deterioration, strike doubling or a damaged mint mark may be interesting but is not automatically a valuable mint error.
Doubled Die vs Machine Doubling
Flat shelf-like doubling is often a striking effect, not a doubled die.
Created in the die
A recognized doubled die repeats design elements in a consistent, attributable pattern. Rounded separation, notching and matching several documented areas support closer review.
Created during striking
Machine doubling often looks flat or shelf-like and can affect one edge of a letter. It is common and does not carry the same variety premium.
Use the PCGS FS-101 reference for the 1976-D variety. A magnified photo by itself does not establish attribution.
How to Identify Your Bicentennial Quarter
Follow this order so the common facts are settled before the rare claims.
- 01Confirm the dual date
Read 1776-1976 under good light and check the full obverse.
- 02Confirm the drummer reverse
Look for the torch and thirteen stars around the drummer.
- 03Record the mint mark
No mark means Philadelphia; D means Denver; S means San Francisco.
- 04Separate clad and silver candidates
Use the edge first, then weigh the coin accurately.
- 05Use the correct nominal weight
Clad is 5.67 g; 40% silver collector issues are 5.75 g.
- 06Judge circulation and surfaces
Wear, marks, cleaning and luster determine whether certification is worthwhile.
- 07Check documented varieties
Compare the 1976-D DDO FS-101 with a real PCGS reference.
- 08Authenticate an unusual coin
Preserve a possible error and seek professional attribution before selling.
How Much Does a Bicentennial Quarter Weigh?
5.67 g for normal clad; 5.75 g for the 40% silver collector issue.
Weight is one of the most useful home screening tests because the clad and 40% silver issues have different nominal specifications. Use a scale with at least 0.01 g resolution, weigh the coin loose and record the result. Dirt, damage, scale tolerance and wear can move the reading.
A result near 5.67 g supports normal clad construction. A result near 5.75 g supports the 40% silver issue, but neither number proves authenticity. If a coin is far outside the expected range, inspect for damage, a foreign planchet or alteration and use professional review.
5.67 g
Regular Philadelphia and Denver circulation specification; S clad Proof issue uses the clad standard.
5.75 g
1976-S silver collector specification, not the 6.25 g 90% silver standard.
Is a Bicentennial Quarter Rare?
The ordinary clad issue is common. The approximate combined circulating production was about 1.67 billion pieces, and the individual Philadelphia and Denver mintages are both very large. Rarity appears in a narrow subset: top certified grades, 40% silver collector pieces in exceptional condition, attributed doubled dies and genuine mint errors.
Is a 1976 Quarter Worth $10,000?
It can happen for a specific authenticated coin, but the headline is misleading when detached from the grade and variety. PCGS records a $19,200 sale for a 1976-S 40% silver MS69 and an $8,400 sale for a 1976-D DDO FS-101 MS66. Those results do not apply to ordinary pocket-change examples.
1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter Auction Results
These rows keep type, grade, auction and realized price together.
| Issue | Grade | Auction | Date | Realized | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia clad | MS64 PCGS | Heritage Auctions | Aug. 18, 2024 | $2,520 | PCGS auction record |
| Denver clad | MS68 PCGS | Legend Rare Coin Auctions | Jan. 2018 | $5,170 | Specific high-grade sale |
| Denver DDO FS-101 | MS66 PCGS | Heritage Auctions | May 7, 2023 | $8,400 | Attributed doubled die |
| S clad Proof | PR69 PCGS | Bowers & Merena | Nov. 3, 2010 | $6,038 | Proof record |
| S 40% silver regular | MS69 PCGS | Heritage Auctions | Jun. 9, 2019 | $19,200 | Certified silver issue |
| S 40% silver regular | MS69 PCGS | Bowers & Merena | Feb. 2007 | $5,060 | Earlier completed sale |
| S 40% silver Proof | PR70DCAM PCGS | Heritage Auctions | Apr. 2009 | $1,495 | Certified Proof |
| S 40% silver Proof | PR70DCAM PCGS | Heritage Auctions | Jul. 2015 | $305.50 | Certified Proof |
Auction records are evidence for particular certified coins. They are not a universal price list, and an asking price is not a completed sale.
Why Was the Bicentennial Quarter Created?
The design was a national celebration, not a new denomination.
Congress authorized special circulating coin designs for the Bicentennial, and the Mint invited artists to submit ideas for the quarter, half dollar and dollar. The winning quarter reverse by Jack L. Ahr placed a colonial drummer in front of a torch and thirteen stars, replacing the regular Washington eagle for the commemorative period.
Both 1975- and 1976-dated quarters used the dual date, allowing the coins to mark the 200-year period rather than a single anniversary day. After the program, the quarter returned to the standard eagle reverse. The commemorative issue therefore has a clear historical identity even when the coin itself is common.
1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter Design Details
These details describe the normal issue before variety attribution.
The obverse retains John Flanagan's Washington portrait with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST at the sides and the dual date below. The reverse was designed by Jack L. Ahr and shows the drummer, torch, thirteen stars, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and QUARTER DOLLAR.
The circulation issues use copper-nickel clad construction over a copper core. San Francisco collector versions include both clad Proof and 40% silver formats. The edge is reeded on all of the standard quarter issues discussed here.
| Obverse designer | John Flanagan | Reverse designer | Jack L. Ahr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dual date | 1776-1976 | Reverse | Colonial drummer |
| Diameter | 24.30 mm | Edge | Reeded |
| Clad weight | 5.67 g | Silver weight | 5.75 g |
| PCGS P clad | #5896 | PCGS D clad | #5897 |
| PCGS S silver | #5898 | PCGS S clad Proof | #6007 |
Should You Clean a Bicentennial Quarter?
No. Polishing, dipping, brushing, scraping or household chemicals can remove original surface, create hairlines and make a genuine variety or error harder to evaluate. A bright appearance is not the same as a high grade.
Preserve an Unusual Candidate
Hold the coin by its edge, photograph both sides and the edge, record the weight, avoid tests that alter the surface and place it in an inert holder. Use a professional grading or authentication service before claiming a major rarity.
1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter FAQ
Twelve focused answers about silver, mint marks, weight, errors and value.
How much is a 1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter worth?
Most circulated clad examples are worth face value. High-grade certified coins, 40% silver collector issues, Proofs and documented varieties are separate markets.
Are Bicentennial quarters made of silver?
Some 1976-S collector quarters were struck in 40% silver. Ordinary Philadelphia and Denver circulation coins are copper-nickel clad.
How can I tell if my Bicentennial Quarter is silver?
Check the mint mark, edge and weight. A 1976-S 40% silver issue is nominally 5.75 g; normal clad coins are 5.67 g. Weight is a screen, not authentication.
What does the 1776-1976 date mean?
The dual date commemorates the United States Bicentennial. It was used on every 1975-1976 Bicentennial quarter, so it is normal, not a doubled date error.
What does no mint mark mean on a 1976 quarter?
A no-mint-mark Bicentennial quarter is a Philadelphia circulation issue. The missing letter is not a rare mint error.
Is a 1976-D quarter rare?
The ordinary Denver clad issue is common. A certified top-grade coin or a documented die variety can be scarce.
Are 1976-S quarters silver?
Some S-mint collector strikes are 40% silver, while other S-mint issues are clad Proofs. The mint mark alone does not identify the composition.
What is the 1976-D doubled die quarter?
PCGS catalogs the 1976-D DDO FS-101 and lists certified examples. Compare the full attribution with PCGS references rather than relying on a doubled-looking date.
Is the drummer reverse an error?
No. The colonial drummer, torch and thirteen stars are the intentional Bicentennial reverse design.
Can a 1976 quarter be worth $10,000?
A specific authenticated variety or exceptional certified coin can bring a high auction result. An ordinary circulated quarter is not a $10,000 coin.
Should I clean a Bicentennial quarter?
No. Polishing, dipping or scratching can reduce collector value and destroy evidence needed for attribution.
Where can I compare a possible error?
Use PCGS CoinFacts and auction records for the exact issue, then obtain professional attribution before treating a raw coin as rare.