From 2010 to 2021, the United States Mint released an exciting 56-coin commemorative series known as the America the Beautiful Quarters. These special 25-cent pieces, honoring national parks and historic sites from every state, D.C. and U.S. territories, captured the hearts of coin collectors across the nation.
But in the years since the final design was struck, which America the Beautiful quarters have emerged as the rarest and most valuable? How can you assemble a complete set of this 12-year series? And what is the future outlook for these commemorative coins?
Whether you‘re new to collecting quarters or a seasoned pro, this in-depth guide will reveal the answers, providing everything you need to know to smartly collect the America the Beautiful series. We‘ll explore key topics like:
- The origin and overview of the America the Beautiful Quarter Program
- Rarities, errors, and varieties to look out for
- Mintages and values for every regular and collector version produced
- Strategies and tips for building a complete 56-coin set
- Which coins are considered the "key dates" of the series
- And more!
So let‘s begin our scenic journey through the America the Beautiful quarters and discover which of these 56 coins are the real treasures to seek for your collection.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Program
The Americana the Beautiful Quarters Program was authorized by an act of Congress in 2008. Following the success and popularity of the 50 State Quarters series from 1999-2008, officials wanted a new program to continue engaging the public.
It was decided that this new series would honor a national park or nationally significant site from each state, Washington D.C., and the five U.S. territories – 56 designs in all. The law stipulated the coins would be released at a rate of five per year, in the order the honored site was first established as a national park or historic area.
The obverse (heads side) design remained the same for the entirety of the series – the iconic 1932 left-facing portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. The 56 changing commemorative designs would appear on the coin‘s reverse.
The first America the Beautiful Quarter was released to much fanfare in April 2010, showcasing the Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. Over the following 11+ years, increasingly unique and beautiful designs would be unveiled, representing sites from Yosemite to Everglades to the National Park of American Samoa.
The series officially concluded in 2021 with the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site coin, representing Alabama. But the legacy of this captivating series continues, as collectors young and old try to assemble a complete set of all 56 designs.
America the Beautiful Quarters Mintages, Values & Varieties
For regular circulating America the Beautiful quarters, the Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) mints were responsible for the majority of the coins produced. Over the 12 years of the series, P and D mintages typically ranged from 100 million to 300 million or more of each design.
With such high production numbers, even in gem uncirculated condition (MS65-MS68), these regular quarters are quite common and often worth only a dollar or two each. Even still, brilliant uncirculated examples make affordable and attractive additions to any collection.
But beyond circulation strikes, the Mint released several special collector versions of each ATB quarter as well:
- 90% silver proof quarters from the San Francisco (S) mint
- 90% silver uncirculated quarters, also from San Francisco
- Copper-nickel clad proof quarters from San Francisco
- Copper-nickel clad uncirculated quarters from San Francisco (starting 2012)
- 5 oz .999 fine silver bullion and specimen quarters
- Circulation-quality 2019-W and 2020-W quarters from West Point with mintages of just 2 million
These lower-mintage offerings, especially the 5 oz silver and W-mint quarters, are where some of the real value in the series lies. Choice examples graded by PCGS or NGC (like MS68, PF70, SP70, etc.) can sell for hundreds of dollars.
Error coins are also highly prized by America the Beautiful quarter collectors. Some of the most notable include off-center strikes, double-struck coins, and broadstruck or uncentered dollars. However, with modern minting techniques, these errors are very scarce – often just a handful are known for the entire series.
Key Date & Rare America the Beautiful Quarters
So which regular circulating ATB quarters are worth a premium? Here are some of the better "key dates" and lower-mintage issues to watch for:
- 2012-S El Yunque (Puerto Rico): The first 2012-S uncirculated quarter had a mintage of just 1.4 million and can sell for $30-$40 in top grades.
- 2020-W and 2019-W issues: Any W-mint ATB quarter is desirable for its low mintage of just 2 million. Nice uncirculated examples can bring $20-$30+.
- 2019-W Lowell (Massachusetts) and 2020-W Weir Farm (Connecticut): The first W-mint quarters of these two years are especially popular and a bit tougher to find than other W issues.
- 2012-P Acadia (Maine): With a mintage under 25 million, this is one of the lowest from the Philadelphia Mint and worth $5-$10 in MS67 grade.
- 2019-P and 2019-D River of No Return (Idaho): Thanks to lower-than-average production, these two rank as semi-key regular issues.
- Certain 2020-2021 Issues: COVID-19 impacted mintages for some of the last few ATB quarters, so keep an eye out for any especially low numbers. The final issue, 2021-P Tuskegee Airmen, had a relatively scant 160 million minted.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it gives you a good idea of some of the specific America the Beautiful quarters to seek out for your collection. Remember, even though most regular issues are very common, finding choice uncirculated examples of every design is a rewarding challenge.
Collecting a Complete Set of 56 Coins
Assembling a complete set of circulation-quality America the Beautiful quarters is a popular goal for many collectors, and is still very achievable even after the series has ended. Most collectors pursue a "P&D set" containing one example of each design from both the Philadelphia and Denver mints – for a total of 112 coins.
More ambitious collectors may try for the daunting 196-coin complete set, which includes proofs and uncirculated coins from San Francisco for all 56 issues (along with the P&D coins). You could also just focus on the 56 S-mint clad proofs, a handsome set with lower mintages than the circulation strikes.
Depending on your budget, you may also consider collecting the 5 oz silver versions, 90% silver proofs, or even the scarce W-mint issues. A "P, D, S & W" set from 2019-2021 would be especially challenging and valuable to complete!
Whatever you decide, here are some tips for building your collection:
- Purchase a sturdy map-style folder or album designed to attractively store and display all 56 designs.
- Consider buying a complete circulated 56-coin set as a starting point, then upgrading each coin with nicer uncirculated examples.
- Cherrypick through bank rolls and circulation to find gem coins "in the wild" – a cheaper alternative to buying them from a dealer.
- Get your best coins authenticated and graded by NGC or PCGS. Not only does this maximize their value, but it also ensures you don‘t accidentally buy any counterfeits.
- Focus on quality over quantity. A set of well-struck, attractively toned gem quarters will be worth significantly more than a circulated set.
- Be patient! Take your time to acquire each coin at the best possible price. Completing the set is a marathon, not a sprint.
The Future of America the Beautiful Quarters
Although the America the Beautiful Quarter Program has concluded, the story is far from over for these historic commemoratives. In many ways, the journey has just begun, as more and more collectors discover the rich variety of the series.
As time goes on, we can expect premiums to increase for the key dates and rare varieties as more people seek to complete their collections. The special collector issues, especially the W-mint and 5 oz silver coins, will likely remain the most valuable and sought-after in the future.
But no matter which America the Beautiful quarters you focus on, every coin in the series will gain a certain prestige as the years go by. These 56 designs represent an ambitious and unprecedented program, celebrating the diverse splendor of America‘s natural and historic treasures. And that in itself makes them worthy of collecting.
Whether you‘re trying to collect all 56 designs or just cherrypick your favorite sites, the America the Beautiful quarters offer something for every collector. By understanding which issues are rare and valuable, and then acquiring the highest quality examples you can afford, you‘ll be well on your way to building a meaningful and significant collection.
The America the Beautiful quarter series took us on an unforgettable 12-year journey from sea to shining sea – now it‘s up to us as collectors to preserve these coins so future generations can enjoy them. What are your favorite designs? Do you think you‘ll attempt the complete 56-coin set? Let me know in the comments below!
Happy collecting!
