The is 1/4th of a
United States Dollar or 25
Cent s. It is also referred to as ''two bits'' because two bits of a divided
Spanish silver piece (
Pieces Of Eight ) made up 1/4th of that coin. The quarter has been produced since
1796 .
- ---Draped Bust, Small Eagle 1796
- ---Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle 1804–1807
- ---Capped Bust (Large) 1815–1828
- ---Capped Bust (Small) 1831–1838
- --- Seated Liberty (various subtypes) 1838–1891
- --- Barber 1892–1916
- --- Standing Liberty (Type 1) 1916–1917
- ---Standing Liberty (Type 2) 1917–1930
- ---Washington 1932–1964
- ---Washington 1965–1974, 1977–1998
- ---Washington Bicentennial 1975–1976 (all were dated 1776-1976)
- ---Washington Statehood 1999–present
The current
Clad version is
Cupro-nickel (8.33%
Ni and the balance
Cu ), weighs 5.670 g, diameter 24.26 mm, width 1.75 mm with a reeded edge. Owing to the introduction of the clad quarter in
1965 , it is occasionally called a "Johnson Sandwich," after Lyndon B. Johnson, U.S. President at the time. It costs 4.29 cents to produce each coin. Before 1965, quarters contained 90%
Silver , 10%
Copper , although very early quarters through 1828 were slightly larger and thinner.
The current
Regular Issue coin is the Washington quarter (showing
George Washington ) on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse. The Washington quarter was designed by
John Flanagan . It was initially issued as a circulating commemorative, but was made a regular issue coin in 1934.
The regular Washington quarter's production is temporarily suspended during the
State Quarters program. In 1999, the Statehood Quarter program of circulating commemorative quarters began; these have a modified Washington obverse and a different reverse for each state. The standard Washington quarter is scheduled for return in 2009, unless the
U.S. Congress acts to extend the Statehood Quarter program or changes the design.
