What it is
A rare doubled die in the early silver Washington quarters, with strong doubling on the motto.
How to identify it
- IN GOD WE TRUST shows strong doubling.
- LIBERTY and the date show lighter doubling.
- Philadelphia: no mint mark.
A 5x to 10x loupe and good, angled light make the details much easier to see. For anything that looks genuine, a digital scale and a certified comparison coin help.
What gets mistaken for it
Early Washington quarters often show machine doubling. The genuine variety has rounded, separated letters.
The regular 1937 coin
The variety appears on the 1937 Washington Quarter, which had a total mintage of 19,696,000. That figure counts the whole issue, so it does not tell you how many coins show the variety.
Early Washington quarters and how this die was made
The Washington quarter, designed by John Flanagan, was introduced in 1932 for the bicentennial of George Washington's birth and struck in 90% silver until 1964. In 1937 Philadelphia struck the coin from working dies made with several impressions from the hub. On one obverse die a later impression landed out of position, doubling the motto and other details.
IN GOD WE TRUST sits in the field in front of Washington's neck, where the doubling is clearest because the letters are close together and stand out against a large, plain field.
Why the 1937 doubled die is so scarce
Silver quarters of the 1930s circulated heavily. Few people looked closely at them. By the time doubled dies became widely collected, most examples of this variety had been worn down in circulation. It is listed in the major variety guides and is one of the rarest doubled dies in the silver Washington quarter series.
Many silver quarters were also melted when silver prices rose, which further reduced the number of survivors.
A step-by-step check
Use a 10x loupe and a light at a low angle. Start with IN GOD WE TRUST: each letter shows a separated, rounded second image. Then check LIBERTY above the head and the date below the neck, which show lighter doubling.
Weigh the coin: a 1937 silver quarter weighs about 6.25 grams. Check the reverse below the eagle's wreath for a mint mark. A 1937 Philadelphia coin has none. A D or S rules out the variety.
Look-alikes
Machine doubling is common on early Washington quarters and shows as flat, shelf-like edges. Die wear and die polish can also create fuzzy outlines. A genuine doubled die has a raised, rounded second image with small notches where the two images meet.
Some sellers offer 1937-D or 1937-S quarters with doubling as the famous variety. The major doubled die is a Philadelphia coin, so check the reverse before anything else.
Grades and surfaces
Most examples are circulated. Uncirculated pieces are rare. Collectors prefer original surfaces, full detail in Washington's hair and attractive toning. Cleaned silver quarters with hairlines receive details grades.
Because the motto is on a flat area of the coin, it wears more slowly than Washington's hair. Even a well-worn example can show clear doubling.
Caring for a silver quarter of this age
Silver quarters from the 1930s often carry decades of natural toning, which collectors generally prefer to leave alone. Never clean or dip a candidate, since the hairlines and loss of luster that result are permanent and lead to a details grade. Store the coin in an inert holder away from paper envelopes that contain sulfur, which can cause dark, uneven toning.
Handle the coin by its edges only. Fingerprints on silver can etch into the surface over time and are especially visible in the plain field around the motto, which is the most important part of this variety.
What to do with a candidate
If you find a 1937 quarter with doubled lettering, photograph the motto under a single angled light and compare it with images of certified examples. Check that the doubling direction and strength match. If they do, submit the coin to PCGS or NGC with a request for variety attribution. Do not rely on a seller's description alone, as machine doubled 1937 quarters are often offered as the variety.
Authentication
PCGS and NGC certify the 1937 doubled die obverse. It is listed as FS-101 for 1937 in the Fivaz-Stanton system. Buy only certified examples and verify the certification number.
Related Washington quarter varieties
The early Washington series includes several famous varieties: the 1934 doubled die obverse, the 1943-S doubled die obverse and the 1950-D/S and 1950-S/D over mint marks. The 1932-D and 1932-S are the key dates of the series. Collectors often add the 1937 doubled die to a set of these early varieties.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a 1937 Doubled Die Obverse Washington Quarter?
IN GOD WE TRUST shows strong doubling. LIBERTY and the date show lighter doubling. If your coin passes these checks, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling.
Is the 1937 Doubled Die Obverse Washington Quarter valuable?
Genuine examples sell for a premium over regular coins of the same date. The amount depends on how strong the variety is, the coin's condition and whether it is certified. Compare recent sold auction results for certified coins in the same grade.
What is a doubled die obverse?
A doubled die is a die that received two slightly misaligned impressions from the hub when it was made. Every coin struck from that die shows the same doubled lettering or design. Read more about doubled dies.
Is there a 1937-D or 1937-S doubled die quarter?
The famous 1937 doubled die is a Philadelphia coin with no mint mark.
When did Washington quarters stop being silver?
Washington quarters were 90% silver through 1964. From 1965 they were made of copper-nickel clad.
How much silver is in a 1937 quarter?
A 1937 quarter is 90% silver and contains about 0.18 troy ounces of silver.