1999 Delaware Quarter Value, Errors & Identification Guide
The 1999 Delaware Quarter was the first coin released in the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program. Its Caesar Rodney reverse, P and D circulation issues, San Francisco proofs and the commonly discussed Spitting Horse variety all need different identification checks.
Reviewed by the Coins Identification editorial team · Updated September 21, 2026
First State, First State Quarter
The 1999 Delaware Quarter was the first coin released in the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program. Its reverse shows Caesar Rodney riding to Philadelphia in 1776 and carries Delaware's nickname, "The First State."
Most circulated P and D examples are worth little more than face value. The value conversation changes when the coin is a clean, certified high-grade survivor, a San Francisco proof, a 90% silver proof, a documented die variety or a genuine mint error. This guide keeps those categories separate.
1999 Delaware Quarter specifications
The regular issue is clad; San Francisco made separate clad and silver proof products.
- Year
- 1999
- Denomination
- Quarter Dollar
- Program
- 50 State Quarters
- State number
- 1
- Release date
- January 4, 1999
- Circulation mints
- Philadelphia / Denver
- Mint marks
- P / D
- Collector issues
- S clad and S silver proofs
- Composition
- Copper-nickel clad; 90% silver proof option
- Weight
- 5.67 g regular
- Diameter
- 24.30 mm
- Edge
- Reeded
- Reverse
- Caesar Rodney
- Reverse designer
- William Cousins
- PCGS regular #s
- 5944 / 5945
Which 1999 Delaware Quarter Do You Have?
Mint mark and finish determine the right value comparison.
Philadelphia circulation
No proof finish. Mintage 373,400,000. Most circulated coins are common, while high-grade preservation is the main premium path.
Denver circulation
Mintage 401,424,000. Look for D below Washington’s neck and compare grade, strike and surfaces.
San Francisco proof
Collector issue with clad and 90% silver versions. A mirrored field and sharp contrast indicate proof manufacture, not a circulation error.
Spitting Horse candidate
Inspect the raised feature near the horse’s mouth only after confirming the coin and ruling out an incuse scratch.
1999 Delaware Quarter Value
Ordinary circulation is common; grade and issue type create the spread.
The safest starting point is face value for a normal circulated P or D coin. The table now gives a concrete estimate for every listed grade and separates Philadelphia from Denver so the mint mark is not hidden behind a generic answer.
These are snapshot market estimates, not guaranteed sale prices. A certified coin with exceptional eye appeal, a documented variety or a major error can sell above the normal issue estimate. The current estimate source is linked below for readers who want to compare updates.
| Grade | 1999-P | 1999-D |
|---|---|---|
| Circulated | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| AU50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| AU58 | $1 | $1 |
| MS60 | $2 | $2 |
| MS63 | $3 | $3 |
| MS64 | $4 | $4 |
| MS65 | $4 | $5 |
| MS66 | $11 | $16 |
| MS67 | $20 | $69 |
| MS68 | $820 | $8,750 |
Values are estimates for normal examples, not a promise for every coin. Compare the current 1999 State Quarter price explorer ↗
1999-S Clad and Silver Proof Values
Do not confuse a proof finish with a circulation mint error.
| Issue | Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|---|
| 1999-S clad proof | PR65 DCAM | $7 |
| 1999-S clad proof | PR67 DCAM | $7 |
| 1999-S clad proof | PR69 DCAM | $16 |
| 1999-S clad proof | PR70 DCAM | $64 |
| 1999-S silver proof | PR65 DCAM | $14 |
| 1999-S silver proof | PR67 DCAM | $14 |
| 1999-S silver proof | PR69 DCAM | $23 |
| 1999-S silver proof | PR70 DCAM | $360 |
The regular P and D quarters are not silver. The 1999-S silver proof is 90% silver and 6.30 g; the clad proof is 75% copper and 25% nickel and 5.67 g. Proof estimates can differ by service, packaging and eye appeal.
1999-P Delaware Quarter
373,400,000 circulation strikes.
The P mint mark identifies Philadelphia. The normal coin is copper-nickel clad and should weigh about 5.67 grams. In circulation it is generally a face-value coin. Collectors separate clean MS65-and-better coins from ordinary pocket change, and they investigate a possible Spitting Horse only with a proper reference.
A P mark alone does not make the coin rare. The complete combination of date, mint, design, surfaces, grade and any documented variety is what matters.
1999-D Delaware Quarter
401,424,000 circulation strikes.
The D mint mark identifies Denver and the mintage was slightly higher than Philadelphia. Normal circulated examples remain common. The strongest collector interest is in high-grade coins with clean fields, original luster and a sharp strike, not in an ordinary worn coin with a D.
PCGS records a $1,380 MS64 auction result for one certified 1999-D, but that historic sale should not be used as a blanket price for all Denver quarters.
How Grade Changes the Value
A phone photo cannot establish MS65, MS67 or PR70.
Face value path
Wear on Washington and the horse is normal. Cleaning or scratches reduce collector appeal.
Clean uncirculated surfaces
Contact marks, luster and strike become much more important in a certified Mint State coin.
Condition rarity
Small marks and weak detail can prevent a top grade even when the coin looks bright.
Is a 1999 Delaware Quarter Silver?
Regular P and D: no
Regular 1999-P and 1999-D quarters are copper-nickel clad over a copper center. San Francisco made both a clad proof and a separate 90% silver proof for collectors. The edge and weight are useful screening clues, but they do not replace authentication.
A silver-looking color, a missing copper line or a magnet test is not enough to prove a silver planchet. Weigh the coin, document the edge and use a professional service for a valuable claim.
What Is the Spitting Horse Delaware Quarter?
Use the term carefully: a raised die crack is not a doubled die.
The Spitting Horse is the collector name commonly used for a raised line extending from the horse’s mouth on certain 1999 Delaware quarters. The line is associated with a die crack, so it is a variety created during mint production. It is not automatically valuable, and the name should not be applied to every mark near the horse.
Do not use a generated or generic macro as proof. A genuine candidate should match a trusted reference in location, shape and relief. A professional attribution is the sensible next step when the coin is sharp, uncirculated or being offered for a premium.
A die crack is raised above the field. A scratch or gouge is usually incuse, cuts into the surface and may cross details without following a die progression. Lighting can reverse the apparent direction, so inspect from more than one angle.
How to Identify a Spitting Horse Candidate
These checks increase confidence; they do not guarantee authenticity.
- 01Confirm 1999
Read the date and verify the Delaware reverse.
- 02Find the mint mark
Record P, D or S before comparing a variety.
- 03Use angled light
Move the light to separate relief from a color change.
- 04Inspect the mouth
Look for a continuous raised line in the expected location.
- 05Check the relief
Do not call an incuse cut or gouge a die crack.
- 06Compare a trusted reference
Shape and position must agree, not just the general idea.
- 07Photograph both sides
Include the edge, date, mint mark and close-up at normal scale.
- 08Authenticate before selling
Use a recognized service for a high-grade or high-value attribution.
Spitting Horse vs Scratch
Relief and continuity matter more than a dramatic line.
Raised and integrated
A genuine die crack is raised, follows the expected area and should match documented examples. The coin remains a normal struck object with an identifiable die feature.
Incuse or displaced metal
A scratch, gouge or tool mark cuts into the surface, changes texture and may expose a different color. It is damage, not a collectible variety.
What Is a Spitting Horse Worth?
There is no stable universal number for an unverified raw coin.
Value depends on exact attribution, mint, strength of the die crack, grade, surface quality, certification and current demand. Do not copy an asking price from a marketplace listing or treat an ordinary scratch as the variety. A raw coin should be identified first and priced only against comparable attributed coins.
If a candidate is circulated, damaged or weakly defined, the premium may be small or absent. If it is a strong, original, certified example, the market can be different. The distinction must be proven before money is attached to it.
1999 Delaware Quarter Errors
Only documented minting abnormalities deserve a premium claim.
Off-center strike
The design is displaced because the planchet was not centered. Percentage and date visibility matter.
Clipped planchet
A genuine clip follows the blanking process and shows supporting physical characteristics.
Missing clad layer
Exposed copper can result from a planchet error, but plating loss and damage can look similar.
Wrong planchet
Unexpected weight and diameter need professional testing and a documented comparable.
Broadstrike or multiple strike
Major striking abnormalities should be authenticated before they are valued.
Machine doubling
Flat shelf-like doubling is common and is not automatically a doubled die.
Do not label filled letters, a weak horse, color change, a double rim or a random scratch as a valuable error without attribution.
Who Is Riding the Horse?
Caesar Rodney’s ride is the reverse’s central story.
Caesar Rodney was a Delaware statesman and signer whose famous ride to Philadelphia in 1776 is associated with Delaware’s vote for independence. The U.S. Mint design shows him on horseback moving through the night to participate in the Continental Congress. The reverse combines that historical scene with DELAWARE, 1787, THE FIRST STATE, 1999 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
William Cousins designed the reverse used for the first State Quarter. Its uncluttered composition also helped introduce a new era in which the state-specific story took the reverse while several traditional inscriptions moved to the obverse.
Why Does It Say “The First State”?
Delaware ratified the Constitution first.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, on December 7, 1787. The reverse makes that civic history part of the coin’s identity instead of treating the date as a generic label. It is why the 1999 Delaware issue opened the State Quarters sequence.
This history is useful for identification: the horse and rider, DELAWARE, 1787 and THE FIRST STATE should all agree with the 1999 design before a collector compares value or varieties.
The First Five State Quarters of 1999
Delaware led the release order.
The U.S. Mint released five new State Quarters in 1999: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut. The program issued five states per year, creating a collecting structure that brought new reverse designs into everyday change.
Delaware is therefore both a normal modern clad quarter and a historical first issue. The program context explains why the coin is widely collected even though most worn examples are not rare.
1998 vs 1999 Quarter Design
The State Quarters program moved the story to the reverse.
Before the State Quarters program, the Washington quarter used the heraldic eagle reverse. Beginning in 1999, the state design occupied the reverse while UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, QUARTER DOLLAR and IN GOD WE TRUST appeared on the obverse around Washington’s portrait.
That change helps explain why a 1999 Delaware quarter looks so different from a 1998 regular quarter even though both are Washington quarters. It also makes the reverse design a primary identification clue.
Weight, Diameter and Edge
5.67 g, 24.30 mm and reeded for the regular clad issue.
A regular 1999-P or 1999-D quarter weighs 5.67 grams, measures 24.30 mm and has a reeded edge. A home scale is useful for screening but cannot prove a variety or authenticate a wrong-planchet claim. Wear, dirt, deposits and scale tolerance affect readings.
The 1999-S silver proof is heavier at 6.30 grams. Use a consistent scale, record the coin’s type and photograph the edge before sending an unusual candidate for professional review.
Is the 1999 Delaware Quarter Rare?
Normal circulation rarity and collectible rarity are different.
Common in circulation
Philadelphia and Denver combined for 774,824,000 circulation strikes. A worn example is normally a face-value coin.
Condition and attribution
Top certified grades, PR70 proofs, silver proofs and documented die varieties can be scarce even when the date itself is common.
What Makes a Delaware Quarter Valuable?
Five questions keep the valuation realistic.
Condition
Wear and contact marks usually keep a circulation coin at face value.
Proof finish
San Francisco proof manufacture creates a different collector market.
Silver
The 90% silver proof is separate from regular clad P and D coins.
Spitting Horse
A raised die crack must match documented references and relief.
Mint error
Off-center, clipped and wrong-planchet claims require authentication.
How to Identify a Valuable 1999 Delaware Quarter
Follow the evidence in order.
- 01Confirm 1999
Read all four date digits on the obverse.
- 02Confirm Delaware
Look for Caesar Rodney, DELAWARE and THE FIRST STATE.
- 03Record P, D or S
Separate circulation strikes from proof issues.
- 04Check the edge
Look for normal reeding and a clad center line.
- 05Weigh it
Use 5.67 g as a regular clad screening point.
- 06Judge wear and marks
Do not assign an uncirculated grade from shine alone.
- 07Inspect the horse’s mouth
Only then investigate a Spitting Horse candidate.
- 08Separate errors from damage
A dramatic mark is not automatically mint-made.
- 09Authenticate
Use professional attribution before a high-value claim.
1999 Delaware Quarter Auction Results
Historical certified results are context, not a universal value.
| Issue | Grade | Auction | Date | Realized | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-D regular | MS64 | Bowers & Merena | Jul. 2003 | $1,380 | PCGS auction record |
| 1999-P regular | MS66 | PCGS auction archive | May 2008 | $4,888 | PCGS auction record |
| 1999-S clad proof | PR70 | PCGS auction archive | Nov. 2007 | $1,323 | PCGS auction record |
| 1999-S silver proof | PR70 | PCGS auction archive | Dec. 2007 | $17,250 | PCGS auction record |
Completed prices vary with grade, service, strike, surfaces, eye appeal and timing. Asking prices are not evidence of market value.
1999 Delaware Quarter Details
Normal issue specifications for the catalog record.
| Specification | Regular circulation | Silver proof |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 1999 | 1999 |
| Mint | Philadelphia or Denver | San Francisco |
| Mint mark | P or D | S |
| Composition | 75% copper / 25% nickel over copper | 90% silver / 10% copper |
| Weight | 5.67 g | 6.30 g |
| Diameter | 24.30 mm | 24.30 mm |
| Edge | Reeded | Reeded |
| Reverse | Caesar Rodney, Delaware, 1787, The First State | |
| Regular mintage | 373,400,000 P / 401,424,000 D | Collector issue |
Should You Clean It?
No. Polishing, dipping, brushing, scraping and household chemicals can remove original surfaces and destroy evidence. Hold the coin by its edge and keep it in an inert holder.
Preserve the Evidence
Photograph both sides and the edge, record weight and diameter, save the original context and submit an unusual coin to a recognized grading or authentication service.
1999 Delaware Quarter FAQ
Focused answers about value, history, proofs, errors and the Spitting Horse.
How much is a 1999 Delaware Quarter worth?
An ordinary circulated example is usually worth face value. Certified high-grade coins, proofs, silver proofs and documented varieties are separate markets.
Is a 1999 Delaware Quarter rare?
The normal P and D issues are common in circulation. Scarcity increases in exceptional Mint State grades, PR70 proofs and authenticated varieties.
How many Delaware quarters were made?
The regular mintage was 373,400,000 for Philadelphia and 401,424,000 for Denver, for 774,824,000 circulation strikes combined.
What is a 1999-P Delaware Quarter worth?
Most circulated coins are worth face value. A certified MS65 has a PCGS guide checkpoint of $5, while higher grades must be checked against the current guide.
What is a 1999-D Delaware Quarter worth?
Most circulated coins are common. A high-grade certified coin can sell for more, but auction records are not universal values.
Is a 1999 Delaware Quarter silver?
Regular P and D Delaware quarters are copper-nickel clad. San Francisco also made clad proofs and 90% silver proofs for collectors.
What is the Spitting Horse Delaware Quarter?
It is a commonly discussed raised die-crack variety near the horse’s mouth. It is not automatically a doubled die or a scratch.
How can I identify a Spitting Horse Quarter?
Confirm 1999-P or the correct issue, inspect the raised line at the horse’s mouth under angled light, compare a trusted reference and rule out damage.
Is the Spitting Horse an error or damage?
A genuine die crack is a die variety caused during production. An incuse scratch, gouge or post-mint mark is damage and should not be attributed as Spitting Horse.
What 1999 Delaware Quarter errors are valuable?
Documented off-center strikes, clipped planchets, missing clad layers, wrong planchets, broadstrikes and multiple strikes can be collectible when authenticated.
Who is riding the horse on the Delaware Quarter?
Caesar Rodney, a Delaware statesman whose 1776 ride to Philadelphia helped secure Delaware’s vote for independence.
Why does the Delaware Quarter say “The First State”?
Delaware was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, on December 7, 1787.