The Washington Quarter

 PNG's website highlights different coins each month.  This was the "coin of the month" back in October 2009 but this details the history of the Washington quarter design.

THE WASHINGTON QUARTER

Gary Adkins, PNG #352

 The original Washington quarter was first proposed in 1930, with plans to issue a circulating commemorative coin on the 200^th anniversary of Washington's birth. The intention was that the coin would be made only in 1932, but the law that was passed stipulated that the design could actually become a regular coin and replace the Liberty Standing quarter that by then had seen less than 25 years of service. Plans went forward to hold a design contest and select a model for the portrait, and a decision was made to use the image modeled from life by Jean Antonine Houdon. Within weeks, more than 100 artists were hard at work hoping to win the $1,500 prize that was offered for the winning design.

 

A special panel viewed the entries and chose a model that Secretary Andrew Mellon promptly rejected. He had already chosen another pair of models and insisted that the panel go with his choice. The panel had selected the work of Laura Gardin Fraser, while Secretary Mellon preferred the work of sculptor John Flanagan. Why Mellon was adamant in his decision is not known. Both designs were outstanding, and while the Flanagan design has stood the test of time, the Fraser bust of Washington remained all but forgotten until 1999 when it was resurrected and used on the $5 gold commemorative coin made that year in remembrance of the 200^th anniversary of his death.

Technical difficulties delayed production of the Washington quarters and they were not ready for release in February, but when the coins were released later in 1932, they were an immediate success, and the public seemingly could not get enough of them. So strong was the demand that people continued to ask for them the next year when no quarters were minted, and by 1934 a decision was made to continue manufacturing Washington quarters as a regular circulating coin. From that time on, quarters with the Washington head design have been made every year, and frequently at all three mints.

Over the years the Washington quarter has been a virtual workhorse coin that is used more frequently than any other denomination in circulation. It has also served the nation well through several changes in appearance. In 1965 the 90% silver alloy was abandoned. Thereafter, all quarters made for circulation were made of a clad material consisting of an inner core of pure copper bonded to outer layers of copper-nickel. In 1976 it was selected, along with the half-dollar and dollar, to honor the bicentennial of the American Revolution.

When the Mint's 50-State Quarter Program began in 1999 the obverse design was altered slightly to include some of the wording from the reverse, and allow more room for the state design, but essentially it is the same recognizable image of the beloved first president. The influx of so many new and interesting reverse designs has brought new life and interest to collecting not only quarters, but all kinds of United States coins. The Mint estimates that as many as 130 Americans save at least one example of each new design, and many try to assemble a full set of each of the 50 states. A secondary program was established to extended coinage through 2009 to recognize The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Assembling a complete set of date and mintmark Washington quarters is not difficult. Many of the old silver pieces are still available in Uncirculated condition at prices only slightly above their melt value. Once considered almost too common to save, many of these beautiful pieces have now gone into the melting pots, making those remaining for collectors possible future rarities.