A particular generation may recall the year-long 1976 bicentennial celebration, during which the United States celebrated its 200th birthday and was awash in souvenirs, memorabilia, bicentennial trinkets, and other items to spend money on.
To mark the occasion, the U.S. Mint also created a number of bicentennial quarters, many of which are now highly valuable as the nation gets closer to its 250th birthday.
The special edition bicentennial coins were created by the Mint between 1975 and 1976. They were noteworthy because they were the first quarters from the United States to have a unique reverse design in over 50 years.
Big Bucks for the Bicentennial According to the Chronicle Collectibles website, the most valuable of the coins, a 1976-S Bicentennial Silver Quarter that arrived with a very high grade, sold for $19,200 at auction a few years ago.
However, the bicentennial quarter is not the only one that commands a high price. Several others have, too.
According to the U.S. Mint, the majority of these coins were "clad," which means they were composed of many metals, including nickel, copper, and zinc, laid together like a sandwich.
However, as Chronicle Collectibles pointed out, some of the bicentennial quarters had 40% silver. This is a significant difference because silver coins are more expensive due to their rarity.
The value of a coin is also influenced by its condition; coins in perfect condition get the greatest prices.
Philadelphia (809,784,016 coins), Denver (860,118,839), and San Francisco (11,000,000 uncirculated 40% silver coins, 7,059,099 proof clad coins, and 4 million proof 40% silver coins) were the three mintages that produced the bicentennial quarters.