From Circulation to Collectibles: The Long Story of 'W' Mint Quarters

You have found coins that look quite old. They have beautiful landscapes and the letter “W”. What kind of coins are these? What does the letter “W” on them mean? Today we will get answers to these questions. Our topic today is “W” mint quarters.

How It Started

The "W" mint quarters (Westpoint mint quarters) were first introduced in 2019 as part of a special initiative by the United States Mint to stimulate interest in coin collecting and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco Mint producing proof coins.

These quarters are part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. It started in 2010 and featured designs depicting national parks and other national sites across the United States.

The introduction of quarters with a “W” was also meant to commemorate the West Point Mint, which typically produces bullion coins, commemorative coins and medals, but not circulating coins.

How many “W” quarters were minted? Only 10 million were produced each year from 2019 to 2020, with 2 million for each design. This limited mintage made them rare and desirable among collectors.

Unlike other collectible coins that are sold directly to collectors, the 2019 "W" quarters were released directly into circulation. This strategy was aimed at creating excitement and encouraging people to search for these rare coins in their everyday transactions.  It’s rather like hard time tokens at their time.

Designs and Themes

2019 Designs:

• Lowell National Historical Park (Massachusetts)

• American Memorial Park (Northern Mariana Islands)

• War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam)

• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas)

• Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (Idaho)

2020 Designs:

• National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

• Weir Farm National Historic Site (Connecticut)

• Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (U.S. Virgin Islands)

• Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (Vermont)

• Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (Kansas)
  

  

Numismatic Description of "W" Mint Quarters

Mint Mark: The quarters feature a "W" mint mark, indicating they were minted at the West Point Mint.

Material: These quarters are made of the same composition as other circulating quarters, which is 8.33% nickel and 91.67% copper.

Diameter and Weight: Each quarter has a diameter of 24.26 mm and weighs 5.67 grams.

1. Lowell National Historical Park (Massachusetts)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile, designed by John Flanagan.

Reverse: Depicts a mill girl working at a power loom with Lowell city buildings in the background, designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

2. American Memorial Park (Northern Mariana Islands)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Shows a young woman in traditional attire at the front of the Flag Circle and Court of Honor, designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

3. War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Features American forces landing at Asan Bay, designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso.

4. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Depicts elements of a Spanish colonial real coin: a mission bell, wheat, the lion rampant, and waves, designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Joseph Menna.

5. Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (Idaho)
   

   

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Shows a piloted drift boat on the rushing river with trees and rock formations around it, designed by Emily Damstra and sculpted by Renata Gordon.

6. National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Features a Samoan fruit bat mother hanging in a tree with her pup, designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

7. Weir Farm National Historic Site (Connecticut)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Depicts an artist painting on a canvas in a pastoral setting, designed by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

8. Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Shows a red mangrove tree in an early stage of its life cycle, designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Joseph Menna.

9. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (Vermont)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Depicts a young girl planting a Norway spruce seedling near an established tree, designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso.

10. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (Kansas)

Obverse: Standard George Washington profile.

Reverse: Features a Regal Fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem grasses, designed by Emily Damstra and sculpted by Renata Gordon.

Collectibility and Value

Due to their limited mintage of only 2 million for each design, these quarters are relatively rare in circulation. The value of these 2019 Westpoint quarters (or West Point) can increase significantly if they are found in uncirculated or higher grades. Coins graded MS-65 or higher by professional grading services (PCGS, NGC) are particularly valuable. However, rare ancient coins will cost more.

Their novelty and the thrill of discovering one in change have made them popular among collectors and the general public.

How to Identify Them?

If you want to check if you are the lucky owner of these “W” mint quarters, you have many options to do it. The easiest way is to use a coin identification app such as Coin ID Scanner. The operation of these apps is simple: you just need to take a photo of the coin you want to identify coin by image​ and upload it to the service - then you will receive all the necessary numismatic information, and you will also be able to use the function of organizing your collection.

Coincidences are not accidental, as you may have heard. What if you are the lucky owner of an expensive coin but do not even know it? Or maybe you inherited a whole collection and you do not know what to do with it next? Start by recognizing all the pieces. Do not be afraid to look for help from specialists and modern technologies. After all, your luck is in your hands!