1981 Quarter Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & “P” Mint Mark Worth

1981-S Type 2 Quarter value ranges from $0.25 face value to $2,530. That record was a perfect Grade 70 example sold through Heritage Auctions in November 2007. Upload a photo of yours below and we’ll give you a quick value range based on your coin’s condition. You can also scroll down to see what similar coins are selling for on eBay right now.

 

1981 Quarter Value By Variety

Here’s what 1981 quarters actually sell for based on condition and mint mark. If you already know your coin’s grade, jump to the **Value Guides** section below for exact pricing.

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

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1981 Quarter Worth Money

The king of 1981 quarters is a PCGS PR-70 Type 2 Deep Cameo that hammered for $2,530 at Heritage Auctions on November 29, 2007. A modern clad quarter pulling four figures — that gets your attention. The buyer was chasing perfection in a series where only a handful of coins earned that grade.

Business strikes hold their own in the top spots too. High-grade Philadelphia coins have reached $700, and Denver tops out at $375. The pattern is simple: circulated pieces are worth face value, but once you cross into MS-64 and above territory, the supply dries up fast and prices jump hard.

 

History of the 1981 Quarter

The Washington quarter started in 1932 as a tribute to George Washington’s 200th birthday. Congress originally wanted a commemorative half dollar, but instead permanently replaced the Standing Liberty quarter.

The design competition got messy. Laura Gardin Fraser won the initial contest picked by the Commission of Fine Arts. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon overruled that choice, ran a new competition, and selected John Flanagan’s design — announced April 16, 1932. Flanagan based Washington’s portrait on the famous bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.

When silver prices spiked in the mid-1960s, the Mint switched to copper-nickel clad in 1965. That’s the same composition used in 1981.

Here’s a detail most people miss: 1981 was only the second year Philadelphia quarters carried the “P” mint mark. Before 1980, Philly coins had no mint mark at all. So your 1981-P is among the earliest P-marked Washington quarters in the entire series.

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

 

Is Your 1981 Quarter Rare?

Not sure which variety you have? Our Coin Identifier and Value App can help identify your 1981 quarter type and rarity level instantly.

 

Key Features of the 1981 Quarter

Knowing what a standard 1981 quarter looks like helps you spot anything that shouldn’t be there. Here’s what to check.

The Obverse of the 1981 Quarter

Flip your coin to “heads.” You’ll see Washington facing left, based on Houdon’s famous bust. LIBERTY arches above his head, and 1981 sits at the base of his neck.

Look to Washington’s left for IN GOD WE TRUST. Now check just behind his low ponytail — that’s where you’ll find the mint mark (P, D, or S). This is your first move when figuring out which variety you have and what it’s worth.

The Reverse of the 1981 Quarter

Flip it over. You’ll see a heraldic eagle with spread wings perched on a bundle of arrows. Two olive branches frame the eagle on either side.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM run above the eagle, with QUARTER DOLLAR below the olive branches. Some 1981 quarters also show a subtle “Type B” die variety with slight differences around the eagle’s beak — more on that in the error section below.

Other Features of the 1981 Quarter

The 1981 Washington quarter is composed of a pure copper core surrounded by an outer clad layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel. The coin weighs 5.67 grams and measures 24.30 millimeters in diameter with a reeded (ridged) edge.

Philadelphia and Denver struck circulation quarters with P and D mint marks. San Francisco made proof-only coins with the S mint mark, sold exclusively in collector proof sets — you won’t find these in pocket change.

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

 

1981 Quarter Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia cranked out 601,716,000 quarters in 1981. Denver added another 575,722,833. That’s over 1.1 billion coins — one of the biggest production years in the entire Washington series. But here’s the thing: with no silver melt value, nobody saved rolls. Survival rates sit around 30–35%, leaving roughly 180–201 million of each variety still out there.

San Francisco produced 4,063,083 proof quarters total across both Type 1 and Type 2. The Type 2 “Clear S” is the scarce one. PCGS CoinFacts estimates only 3,000–5,000 Type 2 examples were struck. That’s fewer than 0.12% of all 1981-S proofs. A completely different kind of rare compared to the business strikes.

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

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1981 Quarter Value

Start by locating the mint mark behind Washington’s ponytail: P for Philadelphia, D for Denver, or S for San Francisco proofs. For S-mint proofs, you must distinguish Type 1 (a small, filled-in, blurry S) from Type 2 (a larger, crisp, clearly legible S) — this single detail can swing the value from $4 to over $2,500.

Our Coin Identifier and Value App eliminates guesswork by instantly identifying proof types, detecting valuable errors, and delivering precise market valuations through quick photo analysis.

 

1981 Quarter Value Guides

You need to know which of the four main types you’re holding before anything else matters.

Philadelphia and Denver business strikes make up the vast majority of survivors. They trade near face value unless the grade is exceptional. The real action is in the San Francisco proofs.

Deep Cameo (DCAM) means maximum contrast — frosted devices against mirror-like fields. These are the finest 1981 quarters you can own. Type 1 and Type 2 come down to which S mint mark die was used.

1981 Quarter Types:

• 1981-P (Philadelphia)
• 1981-D (Denver)
• 1981-S Type 1 DCAM (San Francisco — filled S)
• 1981-S Type 2 DCAM (San Francisco — clear S)

 

1981-P Quarter Value

Over 601 million struck, and most are worth exactly 25 cents. Even uncirculated examples in the MS-63 to MS-65 range only bring $1–$3. You’d think nothing special here.

Then you hit MS-67. Only three examples have been certified by PCGS at that level. Three coins out of 601 million. That’s where the money is. The all-time auction record for the 1981-P is $700, set on August 18, 2018, for a PCGS MS-67 example sold via eBay. If you’ve got a bag-mark-free gem sitting in an old collection, it’s worth getting slabbed.

Here are actual auction results showing how price jumps across grades for the 1981-P.

Current market activity for the 1981-P quarter:

 

1981-D Quarter Value

How does a coin with 575,722,833 siblings stand out? Same answer as Philadelphia — grade is everything. Circulated pieces are face value. The price curve starts moving around MS-66.

I’ve noticed Denver examples generally trail equivalent Philadelphia coins at the top grades. The PCGS auction record for the 1981-D is $375, set on May 31, 2011, for an MS-67 example sold via eBay. Still solid money for a coin that cost 25 cents to make.

Real-world auction results across the grade spectrum for 1981-D quarters:

Current market activity for the 1981-D quarter:

 

1981-S Type 1 DCAM Quarter Value

Grab a 5x loupe and look at the S mint mark. If it looks blurry, partially filled, like someone smeared it — that’s your Type 1. This is the common San Francisco proof variety from 1981, struck with polished dies on hand-selected planchets for collector sets.

Values run $1–$2 in lower proof grades and top out around $22 in perfect PR-70. The highest auction price for a Type 1 is $508, recorded in 2018. Not bad, but nothing compared to what the Type 2 brings.

Auction records for 1981-S Type 1 DCAM quarters across grades:

Current market activity for 1981-S Type 1 Deep Cameo quarters:

 

1981-S Type 2 DCAM Quarter Value

This is the one everyone’s hunting for. The Type 2 has a larger, sharply cut S mint mark you can read without magnification. Night-and-day difference from the mushy Type 1.

Only an estimated 3,000–5,000 were produced out of the total 1981-S proof run of over four million. That scarcity creates a huge gap in value. The all-time record stands at $2,530, achieved at Heritage Auctions on November 29, 2007, for a perfect PCGS PR-70 DCAM example. Even PR-68 coins regularly sell in the $700–$1,000 range. If you’ve got a 1981-S proof sitting in an old set, check that mint mark carefully.

Auction results showing how Type 2 DCAM quarters perform across the grade spectrum:

Market activity trends for 1981-S Type 2 Deep Cameo quarters:

1981-S Type 2 DCAM Quarter Value (FS-501)

FS-501 is the Fivaz-Stanton variety number from the *Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties*. This specific sub-variety within the Type 2 group shows particular die characteristics that distinguish it from general Type 2 examples.

Prices climb gently through the proof grades, topping out near $40 at the highest levels. We think this makes a solid entry point if you want into the 1981 proof variety market without spending four figures.

Market activity for this specialized Type 2 FS-501 variety:

Also Read: What Quarters Are Worth Money

 

Rare 1981 Quarter Error List

Washington quarters are generally well-struck, but 1981 produced several errors worth real money. Here’s what to look for when you’re cherrypicking through rolls or dealer junk boxes.

1. 1981 Quarter Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Errors

A DDO happens when the working die gets two slightly misaligned impressions during its creation. Every coin struck from that die carries the same doubling. On 1981 quarters, look at IN GOD WE TRUST and the date numerals — that’s where it shows up most.

Don’t confuse this with machine doubling, which is flat and shelf-like. Worthless. True DDO shows crisp, separated doubling under a loupe. You’re looking at around $100 for a circulated example and up to $150 for one with sharp, visible doubling in premium condition.

2. 1981 Quarter Wrong Planchet Errors

Sometimes a quarter die strikes a blank meant for a different denomination. Three variations are documented for 1981.

Struck on a dime planchet: The dime blank is smaller, so the design can’t fully fit. You get missing or displaced lettering. A 1981 quarter with 30–80% missing details from being struck on a dime planchet can fetch up to $200 — less detail visible means less value.

Struck on a nickel planchet: Occasionally Philadelphia struck quarter dies on five-cent blanks, producing an undersized coin with incomplete design. Worth approximately $100.

Struck on a penny (one-cent) planchet: The double-denomination version — quarter design over an already-struck cent — is the dramatic one. A 1981 quarter struck on a penny planchet in MS-64 condition sold for $960. That’s the most valuable of the wrong-planchet group.

3. 1981 Quarter Flip-Over Double Strike Errors

This is a wild one. First, a partial indent gets struck over the lower reverse. Then on the second strike, the reverse die hits both the original coin and a different planchet at once. The result shows a sharp, clear impression that’s especially crisp near the date and mint mark.

You can spot these by their satiny luster and the visibility of both the mint mark and date from the second strike. Heritage Auctions sold one in August 2020 for $7,000 — the highest recorded price for any 1981 quarter error.

4. 1981 Quarter Off-Center Strike Errors

When the planchet isn’t seated properly between the dies, you get a shifted design with a crescent-shaped blank area on one side.

Value depends on severity. A 3–5% off-center coin might bring $10–$20. A 50%+ off-center coin that still shows a complete, readable date? That can sell for $150 or more. The average for 1981 off-center quarters runs around $100 in the open market.

5. 1981 Quarter Missing Clad Layer Errors

Sometimes the copper-nickel cladding is absent on one side due to a manufacturing defect. The affected side looks brown and copper-toned instead of the normal silver-gray. Weight will also be slightly off from the standard 5.67 grams.

These are easy to spot raw — you’ll know immediately something’s different. Missing-clad-layer errors on Washington quarters typically sell in the $75–$300 range depending on grade and which side is affected.

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

 

Where To Sell Your 1981 Quarter

Now that you know the value of your 1981 quarter, choosing the right selling platform can make a significant difference in what you actually receive.

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

 

1981 Quarter Market Trend

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

 

FAQ About The 1981 Quarter Value

1. What is the 1981 Quarter worth in circulated condition?

Face value — 25 cents. With over 1.1 billion minted and no reason for anyone to hoard clad coins, even lightly worn EF-40 or AU-58 examples bring no premium.

2. How do I tell the difference between a Type 1 and Type 2 1981-S proof quarter?

Look at the S mint mark under a 5x loupe. The Type 1 S appears small, blurry, and partially filled — as if ink smeared into the letter. The Type 2 S is larger, bold, and clearly defined with open spaces inside the curves. This single difference can separate a $22 coin from one worth over $2,530.

3. Is there a silver 1981 quarter?

No. All 1981 quarters — including San Francisco proofs — are copper-nickel clad. Silver circulation quarters ended in 1964. Silver proof quarters didn’t return until the special 90% silver proof sets introduced in 1992.

4. What does the P mint mark mean on a 1981 quarter?

It means Philadelphia Mint. 1981 was only the second year Philly quarters carried the P — before 1980, they had no mint mark at all. So your 1981-P is among the earliest P-marked Washington quarters ever made.

5. How much is a 1981-S proof quarter worth?

Depends on type and grade. A Type 1 DCAM proof ranges from roughly $4 to around $22 in perfect PR-70. A Type 2 DCAM starts at about $7 and peaks at $2,530 for a perfect PR-70 DCAM — the record set at Heritage Auctions in November 2007.

6. What 1981 quarter errors are worth the most money?

The flip-over double-strike error holds the record at $7,000, sold by Heritage Auctions in August 2020. A double-denomination error struck on a penny planchet sold for $960 in MS-64. Off-center errors showing 50%+ misalignment with a full date visible can bring $150 or more, and missing-clad-layer errors typically sell for $75–$300.

7. Are there any 1981 quarters without a mint mark?

No known genuine examples exist. All three mints used mint marks in 1981. If yours appears to lack one, the mark may be worn smooth or was removed after leaving the mint — which hurts value rather than helping it.

8. What is the highest grade a 1981-P quarter has ever received from PCGS?

MS-67, with only three coins certified at that level. None higher. That’s why the auction record for the grade is $700, set on August 18, 2018.

9. Does the 1981-D quarter have any special varieties worth looking for?

Yes. The 1981-D Type B Reverse shows slightly different eagle-beak details compared to the standard reverse. It’s considerably rarer than the Philadelphia version and commands a meaningful premium in MS-66 or better. Check the eagle’s beak and neck area under magnification.

10. Should I clean my 1981 quarter before selling it?

Never. Cleaning permanently damages the original surface and luster. PCGS and NGC will designate it “details” or “improperly cleaned,” which kills collector interest and premium pricing. A dull, natural coin is always worth more than a polished one.