1988 Quarter Values: See Which 1988 Quarters Are Worth More Than Face Value!

Some 1988 quarters are worth hundreds — even thousands — of times their face value.

In fact, some 1988 quarters are worth well over $1,000 apiece!

Of course, the challenge comes in being able to identify a 1988 quarter that is rare and valuable versus those that you can safely spend for their face value.

In this article, we include all 1988 quarter values and show you exactly which details you should be looking for on your 1988 quarters in order to identify the super valuable ones.

Fun Facts About 1988 Quarters

John Flanagan designed the 1988 quarter’s familiar portrait of President George Washington — who has appeared on the obverse (“heads side”) of the coin since 1932. The reverse (“tails side”) of the 1988 quarter carries a motif of a heraldic eagle.

Are there any 1988 silver quarters?

A lot of people ask about 1988 silver quarter values. If you came here wanting to know what 1988 silver quarters are worth, unfortunately you’re going to find out there are none to collect. All 1988 quarters were struck from a copper-nickel clad composition.

Here’s a list of all U.S. silver quarters.

How much does a 1988 quarter weigh?

The standard weight of a 1988 quarter is 5.67 grams.

However, there is a tolerance of .227 grams more or less. That means an uncirculated 1988 quarter will “normally” weigh as little as 5.44 grams to as much as 5.9 grams.

What’s more, a well-worn 1988 quarter could weigh much less than even 5.44 grams due to loss of metal through circulation.

If you’re looking for a reliable coin scale, these are the best scales for weighing U.S. coins. (Another helpful tool for inspecting your coins more closely is a coin magnifier.) 

Where is the mintmark on a 1988 quarter?

All 1988 quarters contain a mintmark which indicates where the individual coin was struck. You will find one of these 3 mintmarks on your 1988 quarter:

• P – Philadelphia Mint
• D – Denver Mint
• S – San Francisco Mint

The mintmark is located on the right side of the obverse, just behind (to the viewer’s right of) the bow in Washington’s ponytail.

Are 1988 quarters rare?

The United States Mint struck more than 1.1 billion quarters in 1988. I don’t need to tell you that 1.1 billion of anything is a large number… and that’s certainly the case with the 1988 quarter.

This is a very common coin in the general sense.

Here’s more information about mintage numbers and how they affect a coin’s rarity.

However, that doesn’t mean that all 1988 quarters are common. Indeed, there are some rare and valuable 1988 quarters to look for!

Let’s explore these in more detail…

All 1988 Quarter Values

1988-P Quarter Value

The 1988-P quarter was struck to the tune of 562,052,000 pieces at the Philadelphia Mint.

Here’s how much 1988-P quarters are worth:

• Since these coins are so common and contain no precious metal, circulated examples are worth only their face value of 25 cents.
• However, uncirculated 1988-P quarters (which are less common than worn specimens) are worth an average of $1 to $2.
• Some 1988-P quarters are in nearly perfect condition, and these are extremely rare. The most valuable 1988-P quarter was graded Mint State-67 by Numismatic Guaranty Company and sold for $750 in 2021.

1988-D Quarter Value

The 1988-D quarter saw a mintage of 596,810,688 pieces, which were struck at the Denver Mint.

Here’s how much 1988-D quarters are worth:

• All 1988-D quarters are considered common coins, and they were struck from base metals — not precious metal. Therefore, worn 1988-D quarters are worth only their face value of 25 cents.
• Uncirculated pieces (which are more difficult to come by than worn examples) are worth $1 to $2 apiece.
• Perfect (or nearly perfect) 1988-D quarters are worth much, much more due to their scarceness. The most valuable 1988-D quarter was graded Mint State-67 by Professional Coin Grading Service and fetched $1,645 in 2017.

1988-S Quarter Value

If you’re looking for 1988-S quarters in your pocket change, you might be a while. The 1988-S quarters weren’t struck for circulation — they were made for coin collectors.

The San Francisco Mint struck 3,262,948 examples of the 1988-S quarter as proofs — which are high-quality strikes boasting mirror-like surfaces with frosted designs and lettering. These coins were produced using polished blanks and specially prepared dies. The proof 1988-S quarters were included in sets of other 1988-S proof coins that were sold by the United States Mint directly to the public.

Since 1988-S quarters were not released into circulation, collectors who want an example of this proof coin will need to buy them from a coin dealer. However, some of these coins have ended up in circulation after being spent as regular money! In many cases, this is because people who inherit these coins but have no knowledge about them or their value will spend them thinking they are worth only their face value. Therefore, there’s an outside chance that you could find a 1988-S proof quarter in your spare change — but don’t hold your breath!

Here’s how much 1988-S quarters are worth:

• The 1988-S quarters sell individually for $2 to $5.
• One of the most valuable 1988-S quarters was graded Proof-70 Deep Cameo by Professional Coin Grading Service and sold for $403.

IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1988 Quarter?

To determine the true value of your 1988 quarter, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.

So, grab a coin loupe and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book. Then, watch this video to see how to grade coins yourself at home:

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These are the best coin grading apps that make grading coins yourself much easier!

A List Of Rare 1988 Quarter Errors To Look For

Some of the most valuable 1988 quarters are those with errors and varieties — things that may look odd or unusual.

Now, it’s important to manage your expectations when it comes to thinking you’ve landed a valuable error on a 1988 quarter. The vast majority of odd-looking 1988 quarters really just have post-mint damage and are worth their face value. Honest-to-goodness error coins are hard to come by in circulation. (They’re scarce and valuable for a reason!)

Here are some of the most valuable 1988 quarter errors:

1988 Off-Center Quarter Error

Off-center errors range from the merely unusual to the bizarre, and values depend on these 2 things:

• How much of the design’s detail is missing
• Whether or not the date is fully visible

A 1988 quarter that is missing 5% to 10% of the design, can be worth $15 to $30.

However, one of the most valuable kinds of off-center error quarters is missing 50% of its design yet still shows a complete date (all four numerals) can bring $150 to $200… or more.

1988 Doubled Die Quarter Error

Doubled dies are popular collectibles, and yet they are also quite scarce. They’re the result of a coin being struck by a die that was accidentally engraved with a doubled image, resulting in a slightly overlapping misalignment of the same design twice.

When it comes to the 1988 quarter, there are currently no known significant doubled dies that exist — certainly not to the magnitude as seen on some of the major doubled dies.

Still, some of the more obscure doubled dies can take anywhere from $25 to $50 — perhaps more, depending on the specific variety.

1988 No Ridge / Smooth Edge Quarter Error

Many people report finding 1988 quarters with no ridges (or reeds) on the edge. In most cases, these smooth-edge quarters are missing their reeding only because of extensive edge wear — which is common on quarters, due to their use in vending machines. These heavily worn quarters are worth only their face value of 25 cents.

However, there’s a type of 1988 no ridge / smooth edge quarter error known as a broadstrike. This type of error coin is wider and thinner than normal, and is caused when the coin was struck outside of its retaining collar (a device that imparts the edge reeding on the coin upon strike and helps keep the coin its correct diameter and thickness). A 1988 broadstrike quarter error can be worth $20 to $30.

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