Wondering how much the 2021 Washington quarters are worth?
There are two kinds of 2021 quarters that you might find in pocket change:
- One that depicts the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
- One that shows General George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River
Which begs the following questions:
- Why are there two kinds of quarters for 2021?
- Is either 2021 quarter rare and valuable?
- How much are these 2021 quarters worth?
These are all excellent questions, and we’re going to answer them here!
Why Are The 2021 Quarters So Important To Coin Collectors?
The 2021 Washington quarter is a transitional coin between two coin series — marking the end of the America The Beautiful Quarters (that were in production since 2010), and bridging the gap between the American Women Quarters program (slated to debut in 2022 and run through 2025).
The 2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter also marks what might be the swan song for the original George Washington obverse designed by John Flanagan in 1932 and seen on the coin through 1998.
Proposals for the American Women Quarters call for an obverse portrait of George Washington as originally designed for the denomination by Laura Gardin Fraser in 1931.
Because these coins represent a sort of numismatic confluence of different design programs, the 2021 quarters will long rank as important collectibles and are essentially additions to any collection of United States coins.
2021 Tuskegee Airmen Quarter Facts
This coin marks the last of the America The Beautiful Quarters — which were minted from 2010 through 2021 and honor one national park or historic site from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories in order each landmark was established.
The 2021 Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site quarter honors the national park in Tuskegee, Alabama that remembers a victorious squad of African American World War II pilots. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site was established in 1998 as the most recent of the historic landmarks depicted among the America The Beautiful Quarters series.
- The obverse of the 2021 Tuskegee Airmen quarter carries the last of the Washington portraits by William Cousins and seen on quarters since the first 50 States Quarter in 1999.
- The reverse Tuskegee 2021 quarter design honoring the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site was designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
The Philadelphia and Denver Mints each struck hundreds of millions of 2021 Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site quarters and they are highly common in pocket change.
How much are 2021 Tuskegee Airmen quarters worth?
Worn examples are worth face value. Uncirculated specimens take around $1 to $2 apiece.
The San Francisco Mint produced proof specimens in both copper-nickel clad and silver. Clad 2021-S proofs usually take $3 to $5 each while the silver 2021-S proofs go for $6 to $10.
While the West Point Mint made many 2019-W and 2020-W quarters, they did not strike any 2021-W quarters.
2021 Crossing The Delaware Quarter Facts
After the last of the America The Beautiful Quarters was issued in 2021 with the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site quarter, the United States Mint made major changes to the quarter.
The original George Washington portrait that appeared on the quarter from 1932 through 1998 once again adorned the obverse of the coin. The Washington quarter’s original Heraldic Eagle reverse did not return in 2021.
However, the original John Flanagan obverse was paired with a handsome reverse design by Michael Gaudioso. This design represents George Washington serving as an American Revolutionary War general and leading his Continental Army troops across the Delaware River on the night of December 25-26, 1776 to what became one of the most significant battles of the multi-year conflict against the invading British.
A similar design appears on the 1999 New Jersey state quarter — which carries a reverse design by Alfred Maletsky that was inspired by an 1851 oil painting by Emanuel Leutze depicting Washington’s crossing of the Delaware.
The 2021 General Washington Crossing the Delaware quarter was struck for circulation by the Philadelphia and Denver Mints in quantities surpassing the hundreds of millions.
How much are 2021 Crossing The Delaware quarters worth?
The 2021-P and 2021-D General Washington Crossing the Delaware quarters are worth face value in circulated condition and around $1 to $2 each in uncirculated grades.
The San Francisco Mint also struck clad and silver proofs. The clad 2021-S proofs are worth $3 to $5 each. Meanwhile, the silver 2021-S proofs sell for $6 to $10.
There are no 2021-W General Washington Crossing the Delaware quarters.
Rare 2021 Quarters To Look For
While the 2021 Washington quarters are not categorically rare coins, there are plenty of 2021-P, 2021-D, and 2021-S quarters worth looking for.
The rare and valuable 2021 quarters are those that contain errors and varieties — such as doubled dies, off-center errors, and die breaks.
Values for these coins can range from a few bucks to several hundred dollars, depending on the magnitude and scope of the error.
Tips For Collecting 2021 Quarters
There are many creative ways to include the 2021 Washington quarters in your coin collection!
Why might you consider adding these valuable quarters to your set?
Well for starters, they’re easy to acquire, and they can be included in your coin collection for as little face value!
In addition, the 2021-P and 2021-D quarters can be found in circulation for face value, while the 2021-S proof quarters can be bought from coin dealers for only a few bucks each.
And talk about versatility… The 2021 Washington quarter fits into just about any collection of United States coins, including:
- 1932-Present sets of Washington quarters — These collections include every date and mintmark issued, going back to the very beginning of the series and may also include the S-mint proofs.
- America The Beautiful quarters — The 2021 Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site quarters slide right into a set like this, capping off a series that began 12 years earlier in 2010.
- Type sets — If you’re collecting one coin of every design, then the 2021 quarters certainly deliver with their two distinct designs.
The 2021 quarters can add value and intrigue to your set, no matter what kind of coin collection you’re building!
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
