The Scorned 1965 Washington Quarter

Above, a 1944 Washington quarter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 1965, the U.S. Mint stopped minting dimes and quarters out of silver. My dad and I were collecting coins at the time and we both groused about the copper clad coins that were minted. As far as we were concerned, those 1965 quarters and dimes were nothing but pot metal.

We weren't alone in that sentiment. 

To this day, I have not focused on quarter or dime collecting, silver or not. I focus on silver dollars and half dollars. But I do have a few dimes and quarters that are pre-1965. I have bought some Barber quarters as they are over 100 years old. They were minted from 1892 to 1916. The above 1944 Washington quarter may be worn, but at least it's silver.

Numismatic News has posted an article on the "scorned" 1965 Washington quarter.

The begin it with:

Some coins are made beautiful and others are made rare. The 1965 Washington quarter stands as the classic two-time loser. That may never change, but it just may be that with the 50 state quarter program and those that follow, we all should take a second look at the 1965 Washington quarter.

Something many viewed as absolutely terrible happened in 1965. The Washington quarter and the Roosevelt dime were struck without silver. The Kennedy half dollar had only 40 percent silver. It was no accident. The price of silver had simply risen too high for use in circulating coins. The Coinage Act of 1965 guaranteed that 1964 Washingtons were to be the last circulating quarters to contain silver.

When the first 1965 quarters emerged very late that year, they were greeted with something close to scorn. The scorn was over their lack of silver.

To read more, go here.