JarSort · Inherited coin values

1964 Washington quarter value

A 1964 Washington quarter is the most common silver quarter in inherited jars — and one of the easiest to price. It is 90% silver, and its value is mostly its metal: 0.1808 troy ounces of silver. At the Oct 24, 2026 spot price of $53.80 per ounce, that metal alone is worth $9.73.

The three numbers that matter

Prices as of Oct 24, 2026 · Silver spot $53.80/ozt (Kitco) · Circulated, common date, problem-free, raw (uncertified) unless stated

Melt floor

$9.73

0.1808 ozt silver × $53.80/ozt spot. The floor under every 1964 quarter.

Recent sold range

$10–$11

Typical dealer asking prices, Oct 2026 (APMEX and JM Bullion 90% silver bag math).

Dealer might pay

~$7.30–$8.75

Estimate inferred at 75–90% of melt — not a firm bid. No dealer publishes a standing buy list.

Retail range from dealer bag prices (APMEX $100 face bag $4,015.45 = $10.04/coin; JM Bullion $10.66/coin); Greysheet melt $9.70. All figures Oct 24, 2026.

How to tell a silver 1964 quarter from a clad one

The date is everything. US quarters dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver; from 1965 they are copper-nickel clad and worth face value in circulation. Check the edge: a solid silvery band means silver, a copper stripe means clad. The mint mark (D for Denver, S for San Francisco, or none for Philadelphia) sits on the reverse, below the wreath.

When a 1964 quarter is worth more than $11

The $10–$11 range is for common circulated coins. These are not in that range and need individual checking: the 1964-D Type C reverse and doubled-die varieties, the 1964 Accented Hair proof, and the 1964 SMS (Special Mint Set) strikes. Uncirculated and certified examples are also worth far more. If your quarter looks unusually sharp or has a strange doubling, do not sell it as a common coin.

What to do with it

Do not spend it as 25 cents and do not clean it. Sort it with the rest of the jar, write down the melt floor ($9.73), and take the dealer sheet to two dealers before accepting any offer — the dealer-likely range above is the number to negotiate from.

Do not clean your coins. Cleaning is the fastest way to destroy collector value — a polished coin can lose half its worth instantly, and no cleaning can be undone. Handle coins by the edges, keep them dry, and leave toning and dullness exactly as they are.

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