1949 Quarter Value Checker: Errors List, “D” & No Mint Mark Worth

1949 quarter value ranges from $0.25 face value to $43,475. That record was a Grade 68 example sold through Legend Morphy Auctions in June 2019. Upload a photo of yours below and you’ll get a quick value range right away. You can also scroll down to browse recent eBay sales and see what collectors are paying today.

 

1949 Quarter Value By Variety

The 1949 Washington Quarter comes in two varieties: Philadelphia (no mintmark) and Denver (D mintmark). Values differ significantly based on mintage and surviving condition.

If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Quarter Worth Money (1932 – Present)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1949 Quarter Worth Money

The coin sitting at #1 is a 1949-D graded MS-68 by PCGS. It hammered for $43,475 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions on June 27, 2019. That price stunned a lot of people — Denver struck over 10 million of these. But only three coins have ever reached MS-68 at PCGS, three at NGC, and three carry CAC approval. At that level, mintage numbers stop mattering. Condition is everything.

The Philadelphia 1949 MS-68 CAC brought $17,625 at Heritage Auctions on January 9, 2013. PCGS expert David Hall has called the 1949 Philadelphia issue “one of the rarer Washingtons of the 1940s in Gem condition.” Blame the terrible strike quality at Philly that year. Error varieties like the 1949-D OMM FS-601 and the 1949-D/D RPM FS-501 also cracked the top tier, showing strong demand for die varieties from this date.

 

History of the 1949 Quarter

By 1949, the Washington Quarter was already 17 years into its run. John Flanagan’s design — based on Jean-Antoine Houdon’s 1786 bust of Washington — had been in production since 1932, originally as a commemorative for Washington’s 200th birthday.

Post-war America didn’t need as many coins. Combined 1949 production at Philadelphia and Denver hit only about 19.4 million quarters. Compare that to the wartime peaks just a few years earlier when three mints were running full tilt. San Francisco sat out quarter production entirely in 1949.

Here’s the real story for collectors: 1949 was a rough year at the Philadelphia Mint. PCGS researchers have documented that the 1949-P Washington Quarter — along with the 1949-P Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, and Franklin Half Dollar — ranks among the weakest-struck Philadelphia issues of the entire 1940–1964 period. Worn dies and sloppy quality control meant most coins came off the press with mushy details and flat luster. That’s why high-grade survivors are so scarce today.

Denver did a better job. Their strikes came out marginally sharper, which is why PCGS describes the 1949-D as “marginally easier to find in Gem condition than the 1949.” Both varieties carry the standard 90% silver and 10% copper composition. Each coin holds exactly 0.18084 troy ounces of pure silver, giving every 1949 quarter a built-in melt value floor.

Also Read: Top 30 Most Valuable State Quarter Worth Money (1999 – 2008)

 

Is Your 1949 Quarter Rare?

Both 1949 varieties rank as “Scarce” in the Washington Quarter series, but the rarity scores (32 for Philly, 30 for Denver) are almost identical — which seems odd since Denver struck more coins. The explanation? Both varieties faced similar attrition over 75+ years of circulation, so survival rates ended up comparable.

The counterintuitive part is where the real rarity hides. In circulated grades, these are easy to find. The wall hits at MS-65 and above. Philadelphia’s terrible 1949 strike quality means even coins that technically grade MS-65 often look soft and washed out. The PCGS population at MS-68 sits at just three coins for Philly — and that number hasn’t budged in years. The well of hidden gems is dry. Denver’s slightly better strikes give you a bit more hope in Gem grades, but MS-68 is equally rare at three PCGS-certified coins.

Use our Coin Identifier and Value App to instantly assess the rarity and current market value of your 1949 Washington quarters.

 

Key Features of the 1949 Quarter

The 1949 Washington Quarter was in its 18th year of production. Only two mints contributed — Philadelphia and Denver. San Francisco didn’t strike any quarters this year.

The obverse of the 1949 quarter

Flip to the front and you’ll see Flanagan’s left-facing portrait of Washington, based on Houdon’s 1786 bust. “LIBERTY” curves along the upper left. “IN GOD WE TRUST” sits to the left of the portrait. The date “1949” appears below Washington’s neck, just above Flanagan’s small “JF” initials. Don’t confuse those initials with a mint mark — they’re part of the design.

The reverse of the 1949 quarter

Turn it over. A heraldic eagle spreads its wings, gripping arrows in the left talon and an olive branch in the right. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” arcs above. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” runs across a banner in the eagle’s beak. “QUARTER DOLLAR” sits at the bottom. Look directly below the eagle — if you see a small “D,” you’ve got the Denver variety. No letter means Philadelphia.

Other features of the 1949 quarter

The 1949 quarter contains 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 6.25 grams with a diameter of 24.3mm and a reeded edge with 119 ridges. Each coin holds exactly 0.18084 troy ounces of pure silver — to find the current melt value, simply multiply the live silver spot price by 0.18084. The composition remained unchanged until 1965, when the U.S. Mint switched to copper-nickel clad coinage, making all pre-1965 Washington quarters valuable for their precious metal content alone.

Also Read: Top 20 Most Valuable 1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter

 

1949 Quarter Mintage & Survival Data

Total 1949 quarter production barely topped 19.3 million coins — a steep drop from 1948, when three mints combined for over 47 million pieces. Denver led with 10,068,400 struck, while Philadelphia produced 9,312,000.

Despite Denver’s higher output, both varieties show roughly 10% survival rates. Philadelphia comes in at 9.9871% (about 930,000 coins remaining) versus Denver’s 9.9321% (around 1,000,000 survivors). To put that in perspective, fewer than a million Philly quarters survived from the original run — and only a tiny fraction of those grade MS-65 or better. That’s the direct result of Philadelphia’s weak 1949 strikes chewing up the high-grade population.

Circulated 1949 quarters? Not hard to find. Slabbed gems? That’s a completely different kind of rare.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Washington Quarter Worth Money (1932 – 1998)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1949 Quarter Value

Two things determine your 1949 quarter’s worth: the grade and the mint mark. Flip it over and check below the eagle for a “D” or no letter at all.

Worn pieces in Fine condition generally sell for $11–$14, while uncirculated coins graded MS-63 (Choice Uncirculated — a few blemishes but strong luster) can reach $50–$60 for Philadelphia and $40–$50 for Denver examples. Gem-quality MS-65 (Gem Uncirculated — strong luster, sharp details, minimal marks) specimens can exceed $70 each. Those are genuinely tough to locate because of the 1949 Philadelphia strike problems.

You can check pricing through the PCGS Price Guide or NGC Coin Explorer, visit a reputable dealer, or get your coin professionally graded. For a quick on-the-go estimate, the Coin Identifier and Value App can assess your quarter’s unique attributes in seconds.

 

1949 Quarter Value Guides

1949 Quarter Varieties:

• 1949 Washington Quarter (No Mint Mark) – Philadelphia Mint
• 1949-D Washington Quarter – Denver Mint

Two varieties exist for 1949. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. Denver coins carry a small “D” below the eagle on the reverse — that’s the fastest way to tell them apart.

Denver struck slightly more at over 10 million pieces versus Philadelphia’s 9.3 million. Both share the same silver composition and design, but Philadelphia’s poor strike quality means sharp, well-preserved examples are rarer than the mintage numbers suggest. I think the Philly issue is the more interesting coin for that reason — you’re hunting for quality the mint mostly failed to deliver.

 

1949 No Mint Mark Quarter Value

Here’s a question worth asking: how does a coin with 9.3 million minted become one of the toughest 1940s Washingtons to find in Gem condition? Bad dies. PCGS CoinFacts ranks this among the worst Philadelphia issues produced between 1940 and 1964. Most coins left the press looking tired before they ever hit circulation.

The auction record sits at $17,625, set by a PCGS MS-68 CAC coin at Heritage Auctions on January 9, 2013. That CAC sticker means an independent expert confirmed the coin met the high end of its grade — a big deal for a date this tough. PCGS expert David Hall has called the 1949 no-mint-mark “a pretty tough BU roll to find in quantity” and “one of the rarer Washingtons of the 1940s in Gem condition.”

Every coin still holds 0.18084 oz of pure silver, so even beat-up examples carry a melt value floor that moves with the silver market.

Here’s how top-grade examples have performed at auction over recent years.

Market activity data shows how often this issue trades and where collector interest is trending.

 

1949-D Quarter Value

$43,475 for a coin with a mintage over 10 million. That’s the 1949-D in a nutshell — common in your junk silver box, nearly impossible at the top of the grading scale. That record price came from a PCGS MS-68 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions on June 27, 2019. Only three examples have ever reached that grade.

The writing was on the wall before that sale. Earlier MS-68 examples brought $17,256 in April 2010 and $17,038 at the 2013 FUN convention auction. PCGS notes the 1949-D is “marginally easier to find in Gem condition than the 1949,” meaning a few more MS-65 and MS-66 coins exist. But at MS-68, the population is identical — three coins, period.

In circulated grades, you’re looking at around $10 in Fine and $35–$43 in MS-63. We think this is one of the best examples of condition rarity in the entire Washington series. Cheap to own, nearly impossible to own at the top.

Here’s how premium-grade examples have performed across major auction platforms.

Trading volume and collector engagement trends for this Denver Mint issue.

Also Read: What Quarters Are Worth Money

 

Rare 1949 Quarter Error List

Both known 1949 error varieties come from the Denver Mint. In 1949, mint marks were still punched into working dies by hand. That manual process left room for mistakes — and those mistakes are exactly what variety collectors chase today.

Both are catalogued in the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties and carry PCGS FS (Fivaz-Stanton) attributions.

1. 1949-D OMM FS-601 (Over Mint Mark) Errors

An OMM (Over Mint Mark) happens when one mint mark punch lands directly over a previous, misaligned impression on the working die. You get a ghost or shadow image underneath the primary “D.”

On the 1949-D OMM FS-601, look at the lower portion of the “D” under magnification. You’ll see a partial outline from the first punch sitting beneath the corrected strike. This is a direct artifact of the hand-punching process Denver used — a method later replaced by mechanical techniques.

Sharp examples with clearly visible doubling bring the strongest premiums over regular 1949-D prices. If you’re cherrypicking raw 1949-D quarters, this is one to watch for.

 

2. 1949-D/D RPM FS-501 (Repunched Mint Mark) Errors

An RPM (Repunched Mint Mark) is different from an OMM. Here, the same “D” punch was applied twice with a slight shift between strikes. Both impressions are the same letter — just offset.

On the 1949-D/D RPM FS-501, check the lower loop of the “D.” You’ll see a stepped or shadowed appearance where the second punch didn’t land in exactly the same spot. The “D/D” designation tells you it’s a Denver “D” over another Denver “D.”

This variety cracked the Top 10 Most Valuable 1949 Quarter list. Under a standard 10x loupe, the doubling is clearly visible on sharp examples. That makes it a fun and accessible cherrypick — grab a handful of raw 1949-D quarters and start looking.

Also Read: 20 Rare Washington Quarter Errors Worth Money (Full List with Pictures)

 

Where to Sell Your 1949 Quarter

When selling your 1949 quarter, choose the right venue based on your coin’s condition and value. Professional authentication through PCGS or NGC maximizes your selling potential and ensures you receive fair market value for your quarter.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1949 Quarter Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ about the 1949 Quarter Value

1. Is a 1949 quarter worth anything?

Always. Every 1949 quarter contains 0.18084 troy ounces of pure silver, putting the melt value around $14–$18 depending on the spot price. Higher-grade examples and error varieties are worth far more — up to $43,475 for an MS-68 at auction.

2. Is a 1949 quarter silver?

Yes — 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 6.25 grams. All Washington Quarters from 1932 through 1964 share this composition. Check the edge of the coin: a solid silver-colored edge with no copper stripe confirms the 90% silver content.

3. What is the 1949 quarter value with no mint mark?

In Fine condition, expect $11–$14. MS-63 examples run $50–$60. Gem MS-65 coins sell for roughly $60–$80. The all-time record is $17,625, set by a PCGS MS-68 CAC at Heritage Auctions in January 2013.

4. Why is the 1949 Philadelphia quarter hard to find in high grades?

PCGS CoinFacts documents that 1949 was a notoriously poor year for strike quality at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1949-P Washington Quarter ranks among the weakest Philadelphia strikes produced between 1940 and 1964, the result of worn dies and inadequate quality control. Finding examples above MS-66 is extremely difficult, and only three PCGS-certified MS-68 coins are known for the Philadelphia issue.

5. What is the 1949-D quarter worth?

About $10–$13 in Fine, $35–$50 in MS-63, and $43–$74 in MS-65. The top-pop record is $43,475 for an MS-68 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions on June 27, 2019.

6. How much silver is in a 1949 quarter?

Each 1949 Washington Quarter contains exactly 0.18084 troy ounces of pure silver. Multiply that by the live spot price for your melt value. At $90 per troy ounce, that works out to roughly $16.28 — the absolute floor for any example regardless of condition.

7. What are the error varieties for 1949 quarters?

Two documented varieties exist, both from Denver. The 1949-D OMM FS-601 is an Over Mint Mark error where one “D” was punched over a misaligned impression. The 1949-D/D RPM FS-501 is a Repunched Mint Mark where the “D” was struck twice in slightly different positions. Both show up under 10x magnification and carry premiums over standard 1949-D prices.

8. Did the San Francisco Mint make 1949 quarters?

No. Only Philadelphia and Denver struck quarters in 1949. San Francisco produced other denominations that year but sat out quarter production entirely.

9. How can I tell if my 1949 quarter is a Philadelphia or Denver coin?

Flip it over to the eagle side. Look directly below the eagle for a small “D” — that’s Denver. No letter means Philadelphia. Use a magnifying glass since the mint mark is small. The “D” appears above the “Q” in “QUARTER DOLLAR.”

10. Should I clean my 1949 quarter before selling it?

Never. Cleaning destroys the natural patina and original surface luster. A coin that might grade MS-63 could get slapped with a “details” grade by PCGS or NGC, gutting its value. Graders spot even light cleaning under magnification. Leave it alone.