1998 US Coins: Values & Mintages

US coinage in 1998

The last Washington quarters with John Flanagan's eagle reverse were struck before the State quarters began.

Last year of the Washington Quarter.

How many coins were made in 1998

Counting the circulation issues on this page, US mints struck 15,664,300,000 coins dated 1998 across 10 issues. That is 17% more than in 1997 (13,344,595,000). In 1999 the figure rose to 21,930,025,000.

By mint: Denver 7,868,894,000 (50%, up from 6,642,561,000) and Philadelphia 7,795,406,000 (50%, up from 6,702,034,000).

1998 coins by denomination

Cents: 10,257,400,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Lincoln Memorial Cent, up 12% on 1997. The scarcest is the 1998 (5,032,200,000) and the most plentiful the 1998-D (5,225,200,000).

Nickels: 1,323,672,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Jefferson Nickel, up 41% on 1997. The scarcest is the 1998-D (635,380,000) and the most plentiful the 1998-P (688,292,000).

Dimes: 2,335,250,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Roosevelt Dime, up 18% on 1997. The scarcest is the 1998-P (1,163,000,000) and the most plentiful the 1998-D (1,172,250,000).

Quarters: 1,717,268,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Washington Quarter, up 44% on 1997. The scarcest is the 1998-D (821,000,000) and the most plentiful the 1998-P (896,268,000).

Half Dollars: 30,710,000 struck in 2 circulation issues of the Kennedy Half Dollar, down 25% on 1997. The scarcest is the 1998-D (15,064,000) and the most plentiful the 1998-P (15,646,000).

Every 1998 circulation issue at a glance

• 1998-D Kennedy Half Dollar: 15,064,000 struck, more than 51% of the series' 116 issues, down from 19,876,000 in 1997.
• 1998-P Kennedy Half Dollar: 15,646,000 struck, more than 54% of the series' 116 issues, down from 20,882,000 in 1997.
• 1998-D Jefferson Nickel: 635,380,000 struck, more than 84% of the series' 146 issues, up from 466,640,000 in 1997.
• 1998-P Jefferson Nickel: 688,292,000 struck, more than 89% of the series' 146 issues, up from 470,972,000 in 1997.
• 1998-D Washington Quarter: 821,000,000 struck, more than 92% of the series' 144 issues, up from 599,680,000 in 1997.
• 1998-P Washington Quarter: 896,268,000 struck, more than 94% of the series' 144 issues, up from 595,740,000 in 1997.
• 1998-P Roosevelt Dime: 1,163,000,000 struck, more than 76% of the series' 168 issues, similar to 1997.
• 1998-D Roosevelt Dime: 1,172,250,000 struck, more than 77% of the series' 168 issues, similar to 1997.
• 1998 Lincoln Memorial Cent: 5,032,200,000 struck, more than 70% of the series' 104 issues, similar to 1997.
• 1998-D Lincoln Memorial Cent: 5,225,200,000 struck, more than 73% of the series' 104 issues, similar to 1997.

Lincoln Memorial Cent: Close AM, Wide AM and the 1995 doubled die

From 1993 circulating cents were made with the Close AM reverse while proofs used the Wide AM style. A few business strike cents from 1998, 1999 and 2000 were struck with the Wide AM proof reverse. These are scarce varieties worth checking with a magnifier. The 1999 Wide AM is the rarest of the three.

The 1995 doubled die obverse, with clear doubling on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, was found in large numbers in circulation and is the best known variety of this period. Output stayed huge. Denver struck more than 8.7 billion coins in 2000, the highest annual figure in that mint's history. Uncirculated red coins are abundant, but plating flaws and spots keep the very top grades scarce.

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Jefferson Nickel: Matte finishes and the final original Monticello years

Special matte finish nickels were made for collector sets in 1994 and 1997. The 1994-P came in a Jefferson coin and currency set marking his 250th birthday, while the 1997-P came in a set honoring the U.S. Botanic Garden. The 1997-P matte is scarce, with only about 25,000 made. Output climbed past a billion at each mint in 1999. Denver struck 1.5 billion in 2000.

Demand eased after 2000. Production fell to about 440 million at Philadelphia and 383 million at Denver in 2003, the last year of the original Schlag design before the Westward Journey series. Coins from these years are abundant. Full steps examples are generally easier to find than for earlier dates. San Francisco proofs show deep mirrors with frosted designs.

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Roosevelt Dime: Silver proofs and the 1996-W

Silver proof sets returned in 1992, so collectors could once more buy proof dimes struck in 90 percent silver at San Francisco alongside the clad proofs. In 1996 the Mint marked the dime's 50th anniversary by placing a West Point dime with a W mint mark in each uncirculated set. About 1.46 million were made, the lowest mintage dime of the 1990s apart from the proofs.

Circulation demand peaked in 1999, when Philadelphia alone struck more than 2.1 billion dimes. From 2005 the dimes in uncirculated sets carried a satin finish that sets them apart from business strikes, a detail worth checking when sorting coins removed from sets. Dimes of this era found in pocket change are usually lightly worn clad pieces with their outer layers intact. Proof dimes from both the clad and silver sets of these years survive in large numbers.

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Washington Quarter: The eagle returns before the state quarters

The eagle reverse came back in 1977. From 1977 to 1979 the West Point facility struck quarters for circulation without any mint mark, so they cannot be told apart from Philadelphia coins. A P mint mark first appeared on quarters in 1980. From then on every circulating quarter shows the mint that struck it.

Mintages of 1982 and 1983 were large, but the Mint issued no uncirculated sets in those years, so few were saved. Well-preserved examples of both years are hard to find. Silver proofs in 90 percent silver returned in 1992 alongside the clad proofs. Mintages climbed past one billion at Denver in 1995. The 1998 quarter was the last with Flanagan's eagle reverse. In 1999 the 50 State Quarters program replaced it with rotating designs.

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Kennedy Half Dollar: Eagle reverse and dwindling demand

The eagle reverse returned in 1977. Halves saw little use in commerce and mintages fell into the tens of millions, then lower. The 1982 Philadelphia issue includes a variety missing Gasparro's FG initials from the reverse. In 1987 no halves were made for circulation; the 2,890,758 coins from each mint went only into uncirculated sets.

Silver proofs in 90 percent silver returned in 1992. A 1998-S matte finish silver half, 64,141 struck, was sold in a set honoring Robert F. Kennedy and is one of the scarcest modern Kennedys. Circulation strikes of this period often show bag marks from handling in large bags. Well-preserved examples of the low mintage dates, such as 1987, are worth seeking. The 1999 Philadelphia run of 8.9 million was also small.

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