7 Rare State Quarter Errors: Their Value & History

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Numismatics expert Dean Kinzer reveals the rarest state quarter error coins and how much they're worth

Co-authored by Dean Kinzer and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: April 10, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Rare Errors
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• Where to Sell or Trade
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• State Quarters History
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• More Valuable US Coins
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

Time to check your couch cushions: you could have a rare state quarter with an error in your possession! Some of the quarters minted during the decade-long 50 States Quarters Program have unique errors that push their value way beyond $0.25—sometimes even as high as $10,000! In exclusive interviews with numismatics experts, we unearthed the rarest state quarter errors, along with how much they're worth. Now, we're sharing them with you! Later, we'll also explain the history of the state quarters and what makes them so special. Let's go!

What are the rarest state quarter errors?

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Numismatics expert Dean Kinzer says the rarest and most valuable state quarter coins are experimental planchet state quarters, which are gold-colored with manganese-brass alloy outer layers. Other notable state quarters (along with their errors) include:

• 1999-2000 Sacagawea Dollar/Washington Mule Quarter
• 2004 Wisconsin Extra Leaf Quarter
• 2005 South Carolina Off-Center Quarter
• 2009-P District of Columbia Finger Feeder Quarter
• 2005 Minnesota Extra Tree Quarter
• 2005 Kansas "In God We Rust" Quarter
• 1999 Delaware "Spitting Horse" Quarter

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Section 1 of 4:

Rare & Valuable State Quarter Errors

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   1999-2000 Sacagawea + Washington State Mule Quarters In 1999, the U.S. mint began minting a new series of $1 coin with a manganese-brass alloy outer layer. The 2000-2008 series would feature Sacagawea, the Native American who famously led Lewis and Clark on their expedition across the U.S., and her son, Jean-Baptiste. Somehow, a handful of $1 Sacagawea planchets were used to mint mule coins with a Washington state coin on the obverse (face) side and a $1 coin on the reverse side. The alloy coating made the quarters look gold instead of their normal silver color. Only 19 of these coins are known to exist (so far)!

   • Value: According to Kinzer, they can go for up to $5000-$10,000 at auction.
   • What is a mule? A mule is an extremely rare coin with mismatched designs from 2 different coins on its obverse and reverse sides. The Washington state quarter with a Sacagawea $1 design on the reverse side is the most famous mule in U.S. history.
   • One of these quarters sold for $192,000 in 2018!

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Dean Kinzer is a numismatics expert who specializes in ancient coins. He's also the founder of Kinzer Coins, a rare ancient coin dealership and educational coin resource hub.

   Max Hockley is a numismatics (coin collecting) expert with over 15 years of experience collecting coins and educating his 238K online followers.
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   2004-D Wisconsin Extra Leaf Quarter On some Wisconsin state quarters released in 2004, says Kinzer, you'll find that one of the corn stalks on the reverse side has an extra leaf. This extra leaf is not a part of the original design. Kinzer explains that this error could have been caused by a die gouge, or the die could have been deliberately modified by someone working at the mint.

   • Value: Kinzer says that this particular error quarter tends to be worth $100-$1000.
   • What is a die gouge? To strike a coin, the mint places a metal disk, called a planchet, into a die. The die strikes the planchet, transferring the coin design onto the planchet. If a foreign object, like a small piece of metal, scratches or gouges the die at some point, that error will appear on the coin as a raised line.
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   2000-P South Carolina Off-Center Quarter When the 2005 South Carolina state quarters were being struck, some of the planchets were misaligned, says Kinzer. This means that part of the design on those coins is missing, and the design as a whole looks off-center. Kinzer notes that the more off-center the design is on these coins, the more they're worth.

   • Value: "Smaller off-center [coins are] usually worth about $50," says Kinzer. "Larger off-centering is usually [worth] $200-$500."
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   2009-P District of Columbia Finger Feeder Quarter This state quarter representing the District of Columbia features an error that occurred at the Philadelphia mint. Before coins are struck, tiny feeder fingers push the planchet into a collar to keep it square and secure. The fingers are supposed to retract before the die strikes the coin, but sometimes a malfunction prevents them from moving. In this example, you'll note tiny scratches or flaws next to the "L," "B," and "Y" in "LIBERTY," as well as on George Washington's chin. Those are caused by feeder fingers!

   • Value: One of these D.C. quarters in MS66 condition sold for $422.99 in 2018.
   • What does MS66 mean? "MS" stands for "mint state." A quarter in MS66 condition has never been circulated in public. It has a few flaws, but it's still well-struck (i.e., the details are raised and easy to see).
   • Did you know? The District of Columbia quarter was minted for the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters program from 2009, not the initial 50 States Quarters Program.
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   2005-P and D Minnesota Extra Tree Quarter According to Kinzer, this quarter has up to 50 known doubled die error varieties. The most famous variety has an extra tree on the reverse side, and another has a second forest. The final value likely depends on the coin's condition and the severity of the doubled die error.

   • Value: The value of these Minnesota state error quarters ranges from $10-$300, Kinzer notes.
   • What is a doubled die? A doubled die error occurs when the die used to strike the coin has a doubled design on it. Dies can become doubled if they shift while they're being made.
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   2005-P Kansas "In God We Rust" Quarter An example of an unusual error is the 2005 Kansas state quarter. Instead of "IN GOD WE TRUST," it reads, "IN GOD WE RUST." Kinzer explains that this error occurred because the die grease filled in the first "T" in the word "TRUST."

   • Value: If you find one of these coins, Kinzer estimates you could get $20-$100 for it.
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   1999-P Delaware "Spitting Horse" Quarter Another interesting state quarter error is found in the 1999 Delaware coin. "This error has a die crack, which extends from the horse's mouth, and it looks like it's spitting," says Kinzer.

   • Value: Kinzer adds that this quarter error is usually worth around $10-$50.
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Section 2 of 4:

Where to Sell or Trade State Quarters

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1. 
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   Coin shops According to numismatics expert Max Hockley, “The best place to sell coins is… a reputable local coin store.” He adds that if you have a local coin store in your area, they've probably been there a long time and are built on a reputation. “They don't make that reputation by ripping off people in the community.”

   • Hockley recommends avoiding pawn shops, since you're more likely to lose money than make a profit.
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   eBay or Whatnot If you're looking to sell your state quarters online, Hockley suggests putting them up for auction on eBay or WhatNot. On eBay, you can set a starting price for your listing and let buyers bid on it for however many days you want. If you use Whatnot, you'll go live on a video feed and let viewers bid on your coin in real-time.
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   Auction houses If you sell your coin through an auction house, says Kinzer, they'll also help you find out its true value. Specifically, he recommends checking out Heritage Auctions, CNG, or Harlan J. Berk in Chicago, IL. All of these auction houses "run their own auctions and can help with appraisals, too," Kinzer adds.
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   Numismatic experts Another great option is to send pictures of your coin to a numismatic expert. "I buy collections all the time from my viewers," says Hockley. "They send me a picture of their collection, and I just give them a... FedEx label, and they ship the coins to me. I have my team go through it and send them a check."
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Section 3 of 4:

History of the State Quarters

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1. 
   The 50 State Quarters Program ran for 10 years to honor the US states. In 1999, Congress authorized the creation of the 50 State Quarters Program. Its goal was to honor all the states and territories that had joined the U.S. since the country's founding, and the program lasted until 2009. The first quarter in the series was for Delaware, and the last one was for Hawaii, which is also the newest of the 50 states of the Union. Amateur and seasoned coin collectors alike enjoy hunting for and collecting all 50 designs in this series!

   • Did you know? In 2009, the Federal Reserve initiated the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program. This series of coins included one design for the District of Columbia (where the country's capital is located), as well as 5 designs for each of the 5 U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Section 4 of 4:

More Valuable US Coins

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1. 
   Even if you don't have any state quarter errors, you might have other valuable coins! There are plenty of other error coins in the US currency. Some are harder to find than others, but if you have one, you might be able to get a good chunk of change for it! Check out these wikiHow articles exploring more valuable US coins:

   • The 20 Most Valuable Quarters (& What They're Worth)
   • The Rarest & Most Valuable Dimes + Dime Value Calculator
   • 1944 Steel Penny Value: What Is Your Coin Worth?
   • Double Die Penny: How to Spot One (& What It's Worth)

   1. And if the steps above have been helpful, be sure to download this article as a PDF so you can print, read, or reference it any time.

   Download PDF for $2.99
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