The 50 State Quarters Program was launched by the U.S. Mint in 1999, releasing a series of quarters featuring designs from each of the 50 states. While most of these quarters are worth their face value of 25 cents, some have become highly valuable over the years, especially those that feature unique errors or variations. If you’re a coin collector or just someone checking your pocket change, keep an eye out for these rare and valuable state quarters that could be worth a lot more than you might expect.
Here are the 7 rarest and most valuable state quarters you should be on the lookout for:
1. 1999 Delaware State Quarter – “Spitting Horse” Error
The 1999 Delaware State Quarter features a design of the state’s famous horse and rider. However, some of these quarters were struck with a unique error, where a small “spitting horse” image appears on the coin. This occurred due to a die crack or die gouge, which resulted in extra metal appearing near the horse’s mouth, resembling a spitting effect.
This error has become a highly coveted find among collectors, and those with the spitting horse variation are significantly more valuable than regular Delaware quarters.
- Value: A 1999 Delaware Spitting Horse quarter can be worth $1,000 or more, depending on its condition.
2. 2004 Wisconsin State Quarter – Extra Leaf Error
The 2004 Wisconsin State Quarter features an image of a cow and a farmer working in a field, with an ear of corn as part of the design. However, a unique error occurred in which some quarters featured an extra leaf on the corn stalk. This error was caused by a mistake in the die used to mint the coins, and it’s a rarity that collectors actively seek.
The extra leaf variant has become one of the most popular and valuable errors in the State Quarters series.
- Value: The 2004 Wisconsin Extra Leaf quarter can be worth anywhere from $150 to $5,000, depending on the rarity and condition.
3. 2004 Michigan State Quarter – “Doubled Die” Error
The 2004 Michigan State Quarter features the iconic Great Lakes and a representation of the state’s beauty. A doubled die error was found on a small number of these quarters, where the die used to mint the coins was misaligned, resulting in a doubling effect on the design. This error is most noticeable in the wording and the outline of the shape.
Collectors looking for doubled die errors in the State Quarter series consider these coins highly valuable, as the minting mistake is relatively rare.
- Value: A 2004 Michigan Doubled Die quarter can fetch between $200 and $3,000 depending on its condition and degree of doubling.
4. 1999 Connecticut State Quarter – “Wide Am” Error
The 1999 Connecticut State Quarter has a famous error known as the “Wide AM” variety. The reverse side of the quarter shows the letters “A” and “M” in AMERICA being spaced farther apart than normal. This error occurred because the die that was used to strike the coin had a slight misalignment, resulting in the letters being struck farther apart than intended.
The Wide AM error is particularly rare, making this quarter highly desirable among collectors.
- Value: A 1999 Connecticut Wide AM quarter can be worth between $50 and $2,000, depending on its condition and level of rarity.
5. 2000 South Carolina State Quarter – “No Mint Mark” Error
The 2000 South Carolina State Quarter is a notable piece from the series, featuring a palmetto tree and a crescent moon. Some of these quarters were minted without the typical mint mark, which indicates where the coin was produced (either in Philadelphia or Denver). This error coin is highly unusual, as nearly all other quarters in the series include a mint mark, making the No Mint Mark variety very rare.
Collectors prize this error because it’s a clear deviation from the usual production process.
- Value: The 2000 South Carolina No Mint Mark quarter is worth between $150 and $1,000, depending on the coin’s condition.
6. 2005 Minnesota State Quarter – “Double Die” Error
The 2005 Minnesota State Quarter features an image of the state’s famous ice-cream cone-shaped North Star. Some of these quarters were minted with a double die error, causing the design to appear doubled or faintly duplicated. This is usually visible in the wording and certain features of the image on the reverse side.
The double die error makes this quarter highly collectible among numismatists.
- Value: A 2005 Minnesota Double Die quarter can be worth anywhere from $100 to $2,000, depending on the condition and severity of the doubling.
7. 2009 District of Columbia State Quarter – “Doubled Die” Error
The 2009 District of Columbia State Quarter commemorates the nation’s capital, with an image of George Washington and a statue of him on horseback. Some of these quarters experienced a doubled die error, where the design appears to be doubled due to a misalignment during the minting process.
This is another popular error among collectors of the State Quarter series.
- Value: The 2009 District of Columbia Doubled Die quarter can be worth between $150 and $1,500, depending on its condition and degree of the doubling.
Final Thoughts
While most State Quarters are worth only 25 cents, there are some rare and valuable variations and error coins that collectors are eager to find. The coins listed above are among the rarest and most valuable state quarters, and they can be worth hundreds, thousands, or even more, depending on the rarity and condition of the coin.
If you have any State Quarters in your collection or even just some change lying around, take a moment to inspect them for any of these errors. You never know—you might have one of these rare and valuable coins worth much more than you expected!
