1939-S Washington Quarter
Circulation strike struck at the San Francisco Mint · 2,628,000 made
- Mintage
- 2,628,000
- Metal
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 6.25 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 1939-S Washington Quarter worth?
Collectors pay a real premium for this date, worn or not, because far fewer were made than usual. Uncirculated pieces go much higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1939-S Washington Quarter rare?
- Somewhat. 2,628,000 were made, fewer than most dates, so collectors treat it as a semi-key.
- Is the 1939-S Washington Quarter silver?
- Yes. It's 90% silver, 10% copper and holds 0.1808 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1939 Washington Quarter?
- On the reverse, below the wreath. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- Which San Francisco dates near 1939 are scarcer?
- The 1937-S at 1,652,000. So the 1939-S is on the scarcer side for those years.
- How many 1939-S Washington Quarter coins were made?
- 2,628,000.
What to check on your 1939-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 1939-D (7.1 million made).
- Don't clean it. Cleaning leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1939 Washington Quarter Proof (8,795 made) is the one to compare with.
- Judge the grade under good light. Wear starts on the hair above Washington's ear and on the eagle's breast feathers.
Never clean it. Collectors pay strong premiums for original surfaces and natural toning on a date like this. A cleaned coin can lose half its value or more.
The story of the 1939-S
At 2,628,000, the 1939 run at San Francisco was close to the 1938 figure. The next year it made 8.2 million (1940-S).
The other mints made far more that year: 1939 alone came to 34 million, roughly 13 for every 1939-S. If you're checking a pile of 1939 coins, the S is the one to look for. In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1940-D (2,797,600) and the 1938-S (2,832,000).
Only the 1932-S and the 1937-S have a lower mintage among San Francisco's 20 Washington Quarters. Within the 1930s it's 4th smallest of 19, between the 1937-S (1.7 million) and the 1938-S (2.8 million).
A bicentennial tribute becomes permanent (1932 to 1940)
The Washington quarter was introduced in 1932 for the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth. John Flanagan's portrait is based on Jean-Antoine Houdon's bust, while the eagle reverse carries the mint mark below the wreath. Philadelphia struck 5.4 million, but Denver and San Francisco made only 436,800 and 408,000. Those two branch mint coins are the keys of the series.
No quarters were struck in 1933 during the Depression. The 1934 Philadelphia coins come with light and heavy motto styles, plus a doubled die obverse with strong doubling in IN GOD WE TRUST. Other scarce dates include the 1936-D, 1937-S and 1938-S. Denver made no quarters in 1938. Proof quarters were offered again from 1936. A 1937 doubled die obverse is another recognized variety of the period.
How to recognize it
John Flanagan's portrait shows George Washington facing left with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST to the left and the date below. The reverse shows an eagle standing on a bundle of arrows above two olive branches, with QUARTER DOLLAR along the bottom. The mint mark was below the wreath on the reverse until 1964 and on the obverse behind Washington's hair from 1968.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Washington Quarter (1932–1998) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 2,628,000 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Weight | 6.25 grams |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.1808 troy oz (5.625 g) |
| Designer | John Flanagan |
Other 1939 Washington Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 Washington Quarter | 33,540,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 oz |
| 1939 Washington Quarter Proof | 8,795 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
| 1939-D Washington Quarter | 7,092,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 oz |
| 1939-S Washington Quarter | 2,628,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 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.