1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 2,845,450 made
- Mintage
- 2,845,450
- Metal
- Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5.67 g
- Diameter
- 24.26 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 2,845,450 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof silver?
- No. It's copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel. Quarters dated 1964 and earlier are 90% silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1976 Bicentennial Quarter?
- On the obverse, to the right of the ribbon behind Washington's hair. Philadelphia quarters have no mint mark. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- How many 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter proofs were made?
- 2,845,450.
What to check on your 1976-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1976 (810 million made).
- Judge the grade under good light. Check the drummer's hand and drum and Washington's hair. Only uncirculated, high-grade or silver examples carry premiums.
Proofs from 1976 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1976-S
Drummer boy quarters of 1975 and 1976 (1976)
The bicentennial quarter grew out of a 1973 open design competition won by Jack L. Ahr with a colonial drummer and a torch encircled by 13 stars. The obverse kept Washington but replaced the single date with 1776-1976. Production began in 1975 and continued through 1976, so no quarter carries a 1975 date. Philadelphia struck about 809.8 million and Denver about 860.1 million for circulation, with the mint mark to the right of Washington's ribbon.
San Francisco produced clad proofs in both years along with 40 percent silver versions sold in three-coin uncirculated and proof sets. The silver pieces lack the copper stripe on the edge, which is the quickest way to tell them apart. Circulation coins remain common in pocket change. Collectors focus on sharp uncirculated examples, the silver proofs and errors such as off-center strikes.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1976
Bicentennial designs appeared on the quarter (a colonial drummer), the half dollar (Independence Hall) and the dollar (the Liberty Bell and the Moon).
How to recognize it
Jack Ahr's reverse shows a colonial drummer boy with a victory torch surrounded by 13 stars. The obverse keeps Washington's portrait with the dual date 1776-1976. Coins were struck in 1975 and 1976 with this date, in copper-nickel clad for circulation and in 40% silver for collectors.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Bicentennial Quarter (1976–1976) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1976 (dated 1776–1976) |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 2,845,450 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5.67 grams |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Jack L. Ahr (reverse) |
Other 1976 Bicentennial Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 Bicentennial Quarter | 809,784,016 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1976 Silver Bicentennial Quarter (Pattern, silver-clad copper) | about 3 known | Variety | 0.0739 oz |
| 1976-D Bicentennial Quarter | 860,118,839 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1976-S Silver Bicentennial Quarter Uncirculated | 4,908,319 | Collector uncirculated | 0.0739 oz |
| 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof | 2,845,450 | Proof | – |
| 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof (Struck in 1976) | 4,149,730 | Proof | – |
| 1976-S Silver Bicentennial Quarter Proof | 3,998,621 | Proof | 0.0739 oz |
Mintage: Washington quarter mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.