1976 Bicentennial Quarter
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 809,784,016 made
- Mintage
- 809,784,016
- 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 Bicentennial Quarter worth?
In circulated condition it's worth face value. Only uncirculated coins with full original luster, or a recognized variety, carry a premium.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- 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 Bicentennial Quarter rare?
- 810 million were made, which is plenty for collectors to find one.
- Is the 1976 Bicentennial Quarter 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.
- How many 1976 Bicentennial Quarter coins were made?
- 809,784,016.
What to check on your 1976
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1976-S Bicentennial Quarter Proof (2,845,450 made) is the one to compare with.
- A face that's fully copper colored could be a missing clad layer error. Patchy discoloration is usually damage.
- 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.
With 810 million made, the 1976 still turns up in everyday change. Keep yours only if it looks uncirculated or shows a variety; otherwise it's worth face value.
The story of the 1976
1976 was the first year of the Bicentennial Quarter. Philadelphia struck 809,784,016 of them. It was also the last year of the series.
1976-D came to 860 million, so neither mint's 1976 coin is much scarcer than the other.
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 | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 809,784,016 |
| 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.