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For coin collectors, the location where a coin was struck can make it very interesting. And that’s certainly the case for the struck at the Mint facility in West Point. So why are they so keenly collected? And how much are they worth?
That’s what we’re here to find out! We’re going to review the West Point quarter value, history, and design. And we’ll take a look at an interesting error coin that has come to light in recent years.
Ready to learn more? Then let’s get started.
West Point Quarter Value Chart |
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| Year | MS60 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 |
| 2019 W Lowell National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $35 | $40 | $500 |
| 2019 W American Memorial National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $90 | $160 | $475 |
| 2019 W San Antonio Missions National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $30 | $35 | $85 |
| 2019 W War in the Pacific National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $38 | $46 | $140 |
| 2019 W Frank Church River of No Return National Park Quarter Value | $20 | $44 | $72 | $500 |
| 2020 W American Samoa National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $47 | $110 | $650 |
| 2020 W Tallgrass Prairie National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $42 | $90 | $675 |
| 2020 W Weir Farm National Park Quarter Value | $15 | $35 | $65 | $800 |
| 2020 W Salt River Bay National Park Quarter Value | $7 | $30 | $50 | $150+ |
| 2020 W Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Park Quarter Value | $20 | $85 | $160 | $1,100 |
History of the West Point Quarter
The West Point facility first opened its doors in 1937. But it wasn’t originally used to strike coins. For many years, it stored silver bullion.
Although not officially a mint, it nevertheless produced its first US coins almost 40 years later, in 1974. These were Lincoln cents, and bore no mint marks. As a result, they’re indistinguishable from cents struck in Philadelphia.
The first West Point quarters were struck in 1977, and they continued to be produced for three years. But like the cents, they had no mint marks to denote their place of origin.
It wasn’t until 1983 that the first coins with the “W” mint mark were struck. These were gold $10 coins, special editions produced to commemorate the Los Angeles Olympics.
The first quarters to bear the “W” mint mark were issued in 2019. They were part of the series of quarters known as “America the Beautiful”, honoring national parks across the US.
The use of the new mint mark was intended to stimulate interest in collecting the coins. The West Point facility struck 2 million of each of the five designs issued that year. And 2020 saw the same numbers struck.
Features of the West Point Quarter
The Obverse of the West Point Quarter
The obverse of both the 2019 and 2020 quarters carries the same image that’s been used on every quarter since 1932. It’s a portrait of George Washington, the first president of the USA.
The portrait was engraved by John Flanagan to mark 200 years since Washington’s birth. By then, of course, the great man was long since dead. Flanagan used a bust by the renowned French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon to produce the President’s likeness.
The finished article shows Washington in profile, facing left. Flanagan used some artistic licence when it came to the President’s hair. His portrait shows a roll of hair that is absent from Houdon’s sculpture.
The name of the country appears above the portrait, arching parallel to the upper edge of the coin. At the bottom are the words “QUARTER DOLLAR”, curving parallel to the lower edge.
To the left of the portrait is the word “LIBERTY”, while “IN GOD WE TRUST” is to its right. And just below that motto, near the bottom of Washington’s braid, is the sought after “W” mint mark.
The Reverse of the West Point Quarter
Over 2019 and 2020, ten different designs were produced for the America the Beautiful series of quarters. Each one showcased a different National Historic Park.
The Lowell quarter features a young woman at a loom, with a view of Lowell visible through the window behind her.
The American Memorial quarter shows a girl wearing the traditional dress of the Mariana Islands. She stands before the Flag Circle and Court of Honor, and rests her hand on a plaque honoring the fallen in the Marianas Campaign of World War II.
The War in the Pacific quarter depicts the landing of US forces at Asan Bay in Guam.
The San Antonio Missions quarter is similar in appearance to a Spanish Real. A cross in the center divides the reverse into four quadrants, each with its own symbol. Check out this YouTube video from the US Mint to see Chief Engraver Joe Menna talking about the design.
The Frank Church River of No Return quarter was the final design for 2019. It shows the wilderness of the same name in Idaho.
2020 saw perhaps the cutest of all designs – the American Samoa quarter, featuring a Samoan flying fox mother and pup.
The Weir Farm quarter shows an artist painting outside the historic landmark.
The Salt River Bay quarter depicts a red mangrove tree, while the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller design shows a young girl planting a spruce. And the Tallgrass Prairie quarter shows a butterfly, the regal fritillary, flying through prairie grass.
Other Features of the West Point Quarter
All the West Point quarters are clad coins produced in 2019 and 2020. They have a copper core that’s coated in an alloy of 75 per cent copper and 25 per cent nickel.
The San Francisco Mint facility also produced proof quarters in the same years. Some of those were made from 99.99 per cent silver.
West Point Quarter Value Guides
2019 W Quarter Value
As one of the relatively few coins to bear the West Point mint mark, the 2019 W quarter has real novelty value. The value of an individual coin will depend on its condition, and that’s assessed according to a strict numerical scale.
The scale runs from 1 to 70. 1 denotes a coin that’s in the poorest condition, but is still capable of being identified. In other words, enough detail remains visible to make out the year, any mint mark, and the denomination.
At the other end of the scale are coins graded 60 and above. These are known as “mint state”. They have minimal signs of wear and tear, commensurate with never having entered circulation.
The West Point quarters were produced in far lower numbers than those from the other Mint facilities. 2 million of each design were struck.
That compares to mintages of between 114 and 252 million for the different designs struck at Denver. The range for Philadelphia was similar, between 117 and 223 million. So finding a 2019 quarter with a W mint mark is considerably harder than finding one with another mint mark.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of them around. And while circulated coins are an interesting talking point, they’re not valuable.
Even a mint state 2019 W quarter graded MS60 can be picked up for around $15. There’s a slight premium for the Frank Church River of No Return design, which is valued at around $20.
As condition improves, so availability declines – and that means prices rise. Coins graded MS65 and above are known as “gems”, and are particularly desirable to collectors. And at this level, the value can vary significantly according to the design.
A 2019 W quarter graded MS65 with the San Antonio Missions design is the most affordable. That will be worth around $30. Prices are slightly higher, around $35, for the Lowell design. The War in the Pacific design at that grade is worth $38, while the Frank Church is worth around $44.
But a 2019 W quarter with the American Memorial design graded MS65 is worth more than twice as much as any of the other designs at the same grade. One of these is valued at around $90.
The scarcity of the different designs varies according to the grade. At MS65 and MS66, the American Memorial quarter is hardest to find, the latter valued at about $160.
But at MS67, the rarest and most valuable designs are the Lowell and Frank Church quarters. Either of those will set you back around $500 apiece.
At the same grade, the American Memorial design is a slightly more modest $475. For the War in the Pacific design, the value is $140. And for the San Antonio Missions design, it’s just $85.
2020 W Quarter Value
2020 again saw five new reverse designs produced for the quarter. The West Point mint struck 2 million of each.
As with the 2019 quarters, values vary according to the design on the reverse. Circulated coins may be interesting, but – unless they have an error – they won’t be particularly valuable.
In mint state, values start from around $7 to $20. The Salt River Bay quarter is the most affordable at this grade, at $7, while the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller quarter is worth almost three times as much.
It’s possible to pick up a gem MS65 example in any of the designs for less than $100. At MS66, values range from $50 (Salt River Bay) to $160 (Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller).
Amongst the finest known examples of any of the designs are graded MS67.
The most affordable option at this level is again the Salt River Bay quarter, worth upwards of $150. The Tallgrass Prairie, American Samoa, and Weir Farm designs range from $650 to $800. And the most desirable of all is the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller quarter, valued at $1,100.
The finest known 2020 W Salt River Bay quarter is graded MS68. That last sold at auction in 2022 for just shy of $6,000. Examples of the other designs at this grade are on sale at the time of writing for around $2,000 to $3,000.
West Point Quarter Errors List
2019 W Lowell Quarter, Obverse Struck Through
Very few mint errors slip through the cracks in modern production processes – but some do occur. And some of the quarters struck in West Point in 2019 had what’s known as a “strike through” error.
This type of error happens when a foreign body gets trapped between the planchet and the die. The debris is then struck onto the coin face. Sometimes it disappears, leaving a mark, and sometimes it stays there.
One quarter with this error had a small extra line on Washinton’s hair as a result. The error wasn’t very dramatic – you’d need to look at the coin through a loupe or microscope to see it clearly.
But the coin was in excellent uncirculated condition, graded MS67 by the independent grading agency the NGC. It was offered for sale online at a starting price of $700, and the seller accepted a best offer.
This YouTube video from Couch Collectibles shows this error and more amongst 2019 quarters from all the mint facilities.
FAQs
Are the West Point coins valuable?
Coins with the “W” mint mark were struck in West Point, New York. They’re of interest to collectors because relatively few of them were produced.
Only 10 million West Point quarters were struck in 2019, with the same number struck the following year. That compared to hundreds of millions of quarters struck in the same years in Denver and Philadelphia.
But while they’re relatively scarce, 20 million quarters is still a lot! And because they were always considered special coins, many were taken out of circulation when they were found. That makes it relatively easy to find West Point quarters in good circulated condition.
Coins in mint state are rarer and more valuable. Prices can range from tens to hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on their condition.
How do I identify my West Point quarters?
Spotting a West Point quarter is pretty easy if you know what you’re looking for. You need to identify the mint mark on the quarter.
That appears on the obverse – the “heads” side of the coin. Look for a small letter below the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST”. This could be a D (for Denver), a P (for Philadelphia) or an “S” (for San Francisco).
But if it’s a W, congratulations! You’ve got a West Point quarter.
