Some 1990 Quarters Are Worth $1,600… Do You Have One Of These?!

Did you know there are rare and valuable 1990 quarters that are worth much more than face value?

Most 1990 Washington quarters are worth only 25 cents. So how do you know if you have one of the valuable ones?

In this article, you will learn exactly which features to look for on your 1990 quarters.

See which 1990 quarters are worth big money and which ones are safe to spend as regular money!

Fun Facts About 1990 Quarters

Before you start looking through your quarters, here are some things you need to know about the 1990 quarter…

What Is The Design On A 1990 Quarter?

The 1990 quarter was designed by John Flanagan, who originally paired the obverse (“heads side”) portrait of first United States President George Washington and reverse (“tails side”) motif of a heraldic eagle in 1932.

The Washington quarter has been in continuous production since then — though with many modifications to the design over the decades.

Where Is The Mintmark On 1990 Quarters?

There is a mint letter stamp or mintmark on all 1990 quarters, indicating the U.S. Mint facility where the coin was made.

The mintmark can be found directly to the right of Washington’s head — just behind the bow in his ponytail.

These are the 3 different mintmarks found on 1990 quarters:

• “P” for the Philadelphia Mint
• “D” symbolizing the Denver Mint
• “S” indicating the coin’s origin at the San Francisco Mint

Are 1990 Quarters Silver?

There are no 1990 silver quarters.

At this time, there are not even any known off-metal transitional errors involving a silver 1990 quarter worth more than face value.

Since there are no 1990 silver quarters, you don’t need to spend time looking for one in your pocket change!

All 1990 quarters were struck from copper-nickel clad.

How Much Do 1990 Quarters Weigh?

The 1990 quarter weighs 5.67 grams.

Incidentally, this is significantly less than the 6.25 grams most U.S. silver quarters weigh.

To accurately weigh your quarters, you’ll need to use a coin scale that provides readouts down to at least a tenth of a gram.

Do you have a coin scale? Here are the best scales for weighing U.S. coins. (You might also want to grab a coin magnifier and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book to help you determine the value of all your coins.)

Are 1990 Quarters Rare?

It’s 100% true that some 1990 quarters are rare and valuable — because they are either in really great condition or contain errors and varieties.

However, the typical 1990 quarter that you find in your spare change is common and worth only face value.

It’s not hard to understand why these coins are so common… considering that more than 1.5 billion quarters were made in 1990 with a base-metal copper-nickel clad composition.

Current 1990 Quarter Values

So, what’s the difference between a valuable 1990 quarter and a rare 1990 quarter worth money?

Let’s dive into that now…

1990-P Quarter Value

The 1990 quarter with the “P” mint letter stamp (mintmark) is a very common coin overall.

A total of 613,792,000 were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, and most were distributed into the channels of commerce — where they obtained much wear.

Here’s how much a 1990-P quarter is worth:

• If you find a circulated 1990-P quarter with wear, it’s worth only face value of 25 cents.
• However, 1990-P quarters in mint condition or uncirculated grades are typically worth $1 to $2.
• The most valuable 1990-P quarter was graded MS-67 by Professional Coin Grading Service and sold for $1,625 in 2021.

1990-D Quarter Value

Any 1990 quarters with a “D” mint letter stamp (mintmark) were struck at the Denver Mint, where 927,638,181 of these coins were made.

All 1990-D quarters are generally quite common.

Here’s how much a 1990-D quarter is worth:

• Since 1990-D quarters are so common, they are worth face value (25 cents) in worn condition.
• The 1990-D quarter in uncirculated grades is usually worth $1 to $2 — although in some of the highest Mint State grades, they are worth considerably more.
• The most valuable 1990-D quarter was graded MS-67+ by Professional Coin Grading Service and fetched a remarkable $1,440 in a 2018 auction.

1990-S Quarter Value

The 1990-S quarter carries an “S” mintmark from the San Francisco Mint, where 3,299,559 of these coins were struck.

Don’t expect to find any of these special quarters in your loose change, though. They were specifically struck for coin collectors, and they look quite different from typical 1990 quarters.

Most modern proof quarters have frosted designs and lettering, contrasting against mirrorlike surfaces.

All 1990-S quarters were only sold in proof sets and never intended to enter circulation — though some occasionally do. How? It usually happens when non-collectors break them out of their packaging and spend them as regular money.

Here’s how much a 1990-S quarter is worth:

• Most 1990-S proof quarters are worth $2 to $5.
• However, the some of the most valuable 1990-S proof quarters are graded Proof-70 Deep Cameo and often take prices around $35, sometimes more.

Rare 1990 Quarter Errors To Look For

There are many kinds of errors and varieties to look for among 1990 quarters.

Here are some of the most valuable 1990 quarter errors that you can actually find in your pocket change:

1990 Doubled Die Quarter Error

There is at least one significant 1990 doubled die quarter that can be found in 1990 proof sets.

This involves doubling that is evident on the date and mintmark on the 1990-S proof quarter.

These don’t trade on the marketplace very often, but similar kinds of doubled die coins can trade for anywhere from $50 to $100… or even more.

1990 No Ridges Quarter With Smooth Edge Error

Some 1990 quarters have no ridges on their edge — giving them a smooth edge with no reeds.

Usually, quarters found with these smooth edges are simply showing signs of excessive wear from use in vending machines and the like. Or, the edge of the quarter was pushed into the coin through centrifugal force in a clothes dryer or by intentional manipulation with a blunt object, such as a spoon. These coins are not worth anything over face value.

However, there are some real quarter errors with no ridges that are worth money!

One of the most frequently encountered of these is the broadstrike error — which happens when a coin is struck outside of its retaining collar.

The 1990 broadstike quarter errors are often thinner and wider than normal but weigh the same as a normal quarter. These are generally worth somewhere between $15 to $30… sometimes more.

1990 Off-Center Quarter Error

When a coin is struck off center, it will be missing part of its design.

The value of such an error coin depends on how much of the design is missing due to being struck off center, plus which design components are still visible.

While all 1990 off-center error quarters are scarce, the most “typical” of these might be 5% or 10% off center. These coins would be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 to $30.

If you find one that is about 50% off center and still shows a complete date, it could sell for up to $200 — and possibly even more than that!

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