WHAT looks like small change could actually be a small fortune if you know what to look for.
That’s the case for a 1932 Washington quarter, one of which has sold for $89,000 at auction.
The Washington quarter is still in circulation today, but those made during the very first year of minting, 1932, are the most valuable.
To check the date of yours, look underneath Washington’s head for the year.
Then you’ll need to check the mintmark.
Washington quarters were made in Denver, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and West Point Mint.
But those struck in Denver are by far the rarest of the Washington quarters today.
To see if yours is a Denver coin, look for the mintmark D on the reverse of the coin.
If you are lucky enough to have a 1932-D Washington quarter on your hands, it could be very valuable.
These coins have an original mintage of 436,800 pieces, which is very low.
But to fetch the highest price for your coin, it will need to be in excellent condition.
Coin conditions are graded on the Sheldon Scale, with numbers ranging from 1 to 70.
In 2001, a 1932-D Washington quarter graded at MS66 sold at auction for $89,000.
At the time, it was the finest certified coin of its kind.
But if you have one in even better condition, it could sell for more than $89,000.
MORE VALUABLE COINS
Many of the most valuable coins command a high price due to mintage errors at the time of production.
For example, your dime could be worth up to $456,000 if it is missing a mintmark.
Certain coins made in 1975 were struck without this key feature, a letter that signifies where it was produced.
Another type of coin that is highly valuable thanks to an error is a mule coin.
These coins are made with mismatched designs on the front and the back.
