1997-S Washington Quarter Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 1,975,000 made
- Mintage
- 1,975,000
- Metal
- Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel
- Weight
- 5.67 g
- Diameter
- 24.26 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1997-S Washington Quarter Proof worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1997-S Washington Quarter Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 1,975,000 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1997-S Washington Quarter Proof silver?
- No. It's copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel. Quarters dated 1964 and earlier are 90% silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1997 Washington Quarter?
- On the obverse, to the right of the ribbon behind Washington's hair. "P" appears from 1980. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- How many 1997-S Washington Quarter proofs were made?
- 1,975,000.
What to check on your 1997-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1997-P (596 million made).
- Judge the grade under good light. Wear starts on the hair above Washington's ear and on the eagle's breast feathers.
Proofs from 1997 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1997-S
The eagle returns before the state quarters (1977 to 1998)
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.
How to recognize it
John Flanagan's portrait shows George Washington facing left with LIBERTY above, IN GOD WE TRUST to the left and the date below. The reverse shows an eagle standing on a bundle of arrows above two olive branches, with QUARTER DOLLAR along the bottom. The mint mark was below the wreath on the reverse until 1964 and on the obverse behind Washington's hair from 1968.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Washington Quarter (1932–1998) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 1,975,000 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | Copper core clad in 75% copper / 25% nickel |
| Weight | 5.67 grams |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | John Flanagan |
Other 1997 Washington Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-P Washington Quarter | 595,740,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1997-D Washington Quarter | 599,680,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1997-S Washington Quarter Proof | 1,975,000 | Proof | – |
| 1997-S Silver Washington Quarter Proof | 741,678 | Proof | 0.1808 oz |
Mintage: Washington quarter mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.