Collectors Seeking Rare & Valuable 2019-W Quarters From Circulation

The 2019 W quarters from the West Point Mint in New York are in circulation and collectors are going crazy trying to find these rare and valuable coins in their pocket change. But why are these new quarters being made at the West Point Mint? Why are they valuable? And what should you be looking for? Read on for the answers!

What' So Special About The 2019 W Quarters?

As part of a special promotion to help get more people interested in collecting coins, officials with the United States Mint decided to strike each of the five America The Beautiful Quarters at the West Point Mint with special "W" mintmarks. Now, these aren't the first business-strike quarters to ever be struck for circulation at the West Point Mint. They made millions no-mintmark 1776-1976 Bicentennial quarters, but these are indistinguishable from the Philadelphia quarters, which also have no mintmark. However, these are the first circulating coins to bear the "W" mintmark.

The five America The Beautiful Quarters with the "W" mintmark include designs featuring Lowell National Park (Massachusetts), American Memorial Park (Northern Mariana Islands), War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam), San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas), and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (Idaho). These same quarters are also being struck for circulation at the Philadelphia and Denver mints and feature the "P" and "D" mintmarks, respectively.

Why Are W Quarters Valuable & What Are They Worth?

The W quarters aren't necessarily rare because they're the first circulating coins with the "W" mintmark, but rather because only 2 million of each of the five quarters designs for 2019 are being made. And none are being included in any of the US Mint's annual collectors sets, such as proof sets and uncirculated sets. This means the only way to acquire the West Point quarters is to find them in circulation, such as pocket change or rolls of new quarters.

How much are 2019-W quarters worth? That depends on their condition. But, typical uncirculated specimens are selling for between $15 and $30 apiece, with some grading MS-66 or better selling for hundreds of dollars. What's more, some coin dealers, third-party graders, and other organizations are paying bounties for the first W quarter of each design that shows up at their door. Perhaps most notably, the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) offered a $5,000 reward for the first Lowell National Park Quarter, while Desperate Housewives actor Shawn Pyfrom found one of the first W-mint Lowell National Park quarters and made headlines upon submitting it to Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC).

How Do You Find W Quarters?

You've got to be checking rolls of new 2019 quarters – that's your best bet in finding these new W-quarters, which make up less than 1% of all 2019 quarters to be struck. You can also check your change for the new quarters.

Be very careful to check all of your 2019 quarters for the mintmark. You need to be looking for the "W" mintmark on the right side of the head's side (obverse) of the coin. You'll find it to immediately to the right of Washington's ponytail.

It won't be easy finding the W-mint quarters, because so many folks are also looking for these coins. But, don't give up! These quarters are out there, and it's worth your time searching for them. They're worth much more than face value, and if you're among the first to turn an example of the latest design in at your nearest coin dealer or one of the major third-party coin grading firms, you might just earn yourself a reward amounting to some serious dough! Good luck!