2003-S Alabama Quarter Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 3,408,516 made
- Mintage
- 3,408,516
- 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 2003-S Alabama 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 2003-S Alabama Quarter Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 3,408,516 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 2003-S Alabama 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 2003 50 State Quarter?
- On the obverse, to the right of Washington's ponytail (P, D or S). On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- How many 2003-S Alabama Quarter proofs were made?
- 3,408,516.
What to check on your 2003-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 2003-P (225 million made).
- Judge the grade under good light. State quarters are judged mainly on luster and contact marks. Look for die varieties and errors, which carry the real premiums in this series.
Proofs from 2003 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 2003-S Alabama
Elsewhere in US coinage in 2003
The last Jefferson nickels with the original 1938 design were struck before the Westward Journey series.
How to recognize it
The Alabama design
Helen Keller sits in a chair reading a book, with her name written in English and in Braille below. A long-leaf pine branch and magnolias frame her beneath a banner reading SPIRIT OF COURAGE. Born in Tuscumbia in 1880, Keller lost her sight and hearing as a toddler yet became a celebrated author and advocate for people with disabilities. This was the first circulating US coin to carry Braille. Alabama became the twenty-second state in 1819.
The 50 State Quarter design
To make room for each state design, the obverse was rearranged: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR all moved to the side with Washington's portrait. The reverse shows the state's design with its name, the year it joined the Union or ratified the Constitution, the year of issue and E PLURIBUS UNUM. The mint mark is to the right of Washington's ponytail.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | 50 State Quarter (1999–2008) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 3,408,516 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5.67 grams |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | Obverse by John Flanagan, modified by William Cousins; reverses by various artists |
Other 2003 50 State Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-P Illinois Quarter | 225,800,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-P Alabama Quarter | 225,000,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-P Maine Quarter | 217,400,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-P Missouri Quarter | 225,000,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-P Arkansas Quarter | 228,000,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-D Illinois Quarter | 237,400,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-D Alabama Quarter | 232,400,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-D Maine Quarter | 231,400,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-D Missouri Quarter | 228,200,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-D Arkansas Quarter | 229,800,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2003-S Illinois Quarter Proof | 3,408,516 | Proof | – |
| 2003-S Alabama Quarter Proof | 3,408,516 | Proof | – |
| 2003-S Maine Quarter Proof | 3,408,516 | Proof | – |
| 2003-S Missouri Quarter Proof | 3,408,516 | Proof | – |
| 2003-S Arkansas Quarter Proof | 3,408,516 | Proof | – |
| 2003-S Silver Illinois Quarter Proof | 1,125,755 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
| 2003-S Silver Alabama Quarter Proof | 1,125,755 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
| 2003-S Silver Maine Quarter Proof | 1,125,755 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
| 2003-S Silver Missouri Quarter Proof | 1,125,755 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
| 2003-S Silver Arkansas Quarter Proof | 1,125,755 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
Mintage: 50 State quarters (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.