1934-D Washington Quarter : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..

The Washington Quarter was struck in such high quantities in 1932 that additional strikings were not needed in 1933. After its first year of production, the United States Mint’s engraving department adjusted the obverse hub to strengthen the lettering of the motto, which was weak on the 1932 issues and further degraded as the dies wore down.

In 1934, the Philadelphia Mint produced three varieties: the “Light Motto,” also known as the 1932 type; the “Medium Motto,” which features sharper detail but closely matches the size of the “Light Motto”; and the “Heavy Motto,” which displays thicker, bold-like lettering.

Dies provided to the Denver Mint for the 1934-D Washington Quarter consisted of the Medium and Heavy Motto types. No Light Motto 1934-D quarters are known to exist.

The Denver Mint’s production of 3,527,200 quarters in 1934 was its highest quarter output since the striking of the 1920-D Standing Liberty Quarter. Production likely began in the summer and continued into the latter part of the year, as evidenced by the use of the two varieties. Of the two, the “Heavy Motto” is scarcer and commands a premium.

Despite the high mintage, economic pressures from the Great Depression caused nearly all coins from this issue to enter circulation, making the 1934-D one of the scarcer pre-World War II Washington Quarters.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Through 11/2013, PCGS reported 89 coins in MS66, six in MS66+, and six in MS67. As of July 2025, the populations have increased to 162 in MS66, 43 in MS66+, 26 in MS67, and four in MS67+.

NGC reported one coin in MS68 before August 2021. That coin crossed over to PCGS at MS67+.

Medium Motto

Top Population: PCGS MS67+ (3, 7/2025), NGC MS67+ (2, 7/2025), and CAC MS67+ (0:1, 7/2025).

• PCGS MS67+ CAC #46582704: As PCGS MS67 CAC #25027654. Heritage Auctions, June 6, 2013, Lot 4487 – $14,100. Pop 5, none finer when offered. As PCGS MS67+ CAC #46582704. Stack’s Bowers, March 21, 2023, Lot 3112 – $9,600. Pale sandy-gold toning. Dark tick at the back of Washington’s hair. Small tick in front of ear—spot to the left of Y. Upgraded 1/2 point.
• PCGS MS67 CAC #50835733: Heritage Auctions, July 18, 2025, Lot 3461 – View. Brilliant.
• PCGS MS67 #46169936: Heritage Auctions, February 9, 2024, Lot 3312 – $4,560. Very light grey toning along the periphery.
• NGC MS67 #3814143-003: Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2024, Lot 96138 – $2,760; Stack’s Bowers, May 6, 2025, Lot 11076 – $2,160.
• PCGS MS67 #25218568: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2016, Lot 5063 – $3,995. Goldenrod toning along the left side of the obverse.
• PCGS MS67 #25370013: Heritage Auctions, December 5, 2013, Lot 3621 – $9,987.50. Fully brilliant.
• PCGS MS67 CAC #50098679: “The David Poole Collection of Silver Washington Quarters,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2013, Lot 5608 – $14,100. Scattered toning on a mostly brilliant surface.
• PCGS MS67 #05947015: Heritage Auctions, May 10, 2007, Lot 2120 – $21,850. Scattered grey toning throughout. Pop 3, none finer when offered.
• PCGS MS67 #21566035: Heritage Auctions, August 19, 2004, Lot 6104 – $17,250. Streaky gold-orange toning along the obverse periphery. Same colors along the lower periphery of the reverse. Pop 2, none finer when offered.

Heavy Motto

Top Population: PCGS MS67+ (1, 7/2025), NGC N/A (7/2025), and CAC MS67 (5:1, 7/2025).

• PCGS MS67+ CAC CMQ #47423324: As PCGS MS67 #37717625. “The Washington Rainbows Collection, the #1 PCGS Registry Set of Silver Washington Quarters, 1932-1964,” Stack’s Bowers, March 25, 2021, Lot 2278 – $11,400. As PCGS MS67 CAC #42800462. Stack’s Gowers, November 22, 2021, Lot 1345 – $12,000. As PCGS MS67+ CAC CMQ #47423324. Stack’s Bowers, March 26, 2024, Lot 4103 – $20,400. Upgraded by 1/2 point. Darkly toned obverse.
• PCGS MS67 CAC #46466969: Heritage auctions, February 9, 2023, Lot 3740 – $10,200. Dark crescent toning along the right side of the obverse.
• PCGS MS67 #25343559: Heritage Auctions, February 27, 2014, Lot 3891 – $8,812.50.
• PCGS MS67 CAC #25035721: As PCGS MS66+ CAC #25392812. Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2013, Lot 4775 – $6,462.50. As PCGS MS67 CAC #25035721. Heritage Auctions, June 6, 2013, Lot 4488 – $14,687.50. Upgraded by 1/2 point. Splotchy red and orange toning at the date, light orange toning scattered throughout the obverse and reverse.
• PCGS MS67 CAC #24948092: “The David Poole Collection of Silver Washington Quarters,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2013, Lot 5609 – $15,275; Heritage Auctions, December 4, 2014, Lot 3573 – $9,987.50. Dark rust toning on the obverse. Scattered gold and rust toning on the reverse.

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Design

Obverse:

Designed by John Flanagan, the obverse of the 1963-D Washington Quarter is based on a bust of the general created by the neoclassical French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon in 1785. However, Flanagan’s design differs from the original bust in several ways, such as a slightly different head shape and several curls of hair that are not on the bust; for comparison, the bust can be viewed at the late president’s Virginia estate, Mount Vernon. Under the left-facing bust’s chin is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The legend LIBERTY runs along the top of the coin’s field, and the date 1934 is below. In small letters, Flanagan’s initials JF can be found above the “4” in 1934 at the base of the bust.

Reverse:

Unlike the obverse, no restrictions were placed on the candidate sculptors when designing the Washington Quarter reverse. Flanagan’s reverse is dominated by a heraldic eagle with outstretched wings and a left-facing head. The eagle is perched on a neat bundle of arrows with two intertwined olive branches below, and the D mintmark centered between the two olive branch stems. The two main inscriptions above the eagle are the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. Finally, at six o’clock, the denomination is written out as QUARTER DOLLAR.

Edge:

The edge of the 1963-D Washington Quarter is reeded.

Designer

John Flanagan was born in New Jersey in 1865 and lived in New York for most of his life. He began working with Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1884 at the age of 20 and quickly became a well-known sculptor and medallic artist in his own right. Saint-Gaudens made introductions for Flanagan at the United States Mint. While the Washington Quarter was his sole numismatic design, Flanagan designed numerous famous medals and sculptures, including the official medal of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the official Verdun medal gifted to France by the United States, and the 1924 bust of Saint-Gaudens. Flanagan was also a member of the American Numismatic Society (ANS).

Coin Specifications

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