We’re all familiar with quarters, the 25-cent pieces that have been in circulation for decades. These are coins we use regularly, usually without a thought to their composition or the history behind their design. A casual glance at the quarter you are handed at the grocery store will reveal little about these common U.S. coins other than their denomination and mint mark.
Coin collecting is a very challenging, yet rewarding hobby. For over a century people have been obsessed with finding the rarest coins ever produced. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at 15 of the rarest and most valuable 1965 quarters ever produced and sold.
If you are looking to collect coins, there is no better start than with the 1965 quarters. The quarters in 1965 contain several varieties that many collectors seek to find and own including special mint set coins, and rare error coins.
Table of Contents
15 Rarest And Most Valuable 1965 Quarters: Coin List
No |
Quarters |
Grade |
Price Sold |
1 |
1965 25C Washington Quarter – Struck on Silver Planchet |
MS62 |
16,800 |
2 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a 90% Silver Planchet |
AU58 |
14,687.50 |
3 |
1965 Washington Quarter – Struck on Silver 25C Planchet |
XF45 |
9,300 |
4 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A Five Cent Planchet |
MS63 |
5,175 |
5 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A Silver Dime Planchet |
AU58 |
4,887.50 |
6 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a Silver Dime Planchet |
MS62 |
4,600 |
7 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A 90% Silver Blank |
AU50 |
2,760 |
8 |
1965 Washington Quarter MS68 |
MS68 |
1,920 |
9 |
1965 Washington Quarter SMS SP68 Cameo |
SP68 |
1,880 |
10 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A 1 Cent Planchet |
MS64 |
1,800 |
11 |
1965 Washington Quarter MS67+ |
MS67+ |
1,440 |
12 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck Through Two Staples |
AU50 |
1,410 |
13 |
1965 25C Special Mint Set Washington Quarter: Broadstruck |
MS66 |
1057.50 |
14 |
1965 SMS Washington Quarter: Struck On A 5C Planchet |
MS63 |
1,008.15 |
15 |
1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a Dime Planchet |
MS66 |
862.50 |
1. 1965 25C Washington Quarter – Struck on Silver Planchet
Price: $16,800
Grade: MS62
This rare and valuable Washington quarter sold for $16,800 at Heritage Auctions on the 15th of December, 2020, making it one of the most valuable 1965 quarters ever sold. It is a rare error coin and not the regular 1965 quarter. On average this coin should cost a few dollars above its face value, however, in higher grades you are sure to get a reasonable offer for the coin.
A coin struck on a leftover silver planchet from 1964, and that coin is the same one depicted in the image above. Errors like this are very difficult to come by. This coin has satiny white luster and minimal abrasions for the grade. It is slightly struck soft on the finer details of Washington’s portrait.
2. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a 90% Silver Planchet
Price: $14,687.50
Grade: AU58
When a coin is struck on a silver planchet, its value increases greatly, especially if the coin wasn’t originally a silver coin. The 1965 Washington quarter’s composition consisted of 91.67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel which gives it a very low value. Now, if the coin is struck on a silver planchet, it means the new composition will contain silver, thus driving the value to the sky.
This is a transitional alloy error of the wrong planchet variety, similar to the more famous 1943 bronze Lincoln cent. Quarters were minted in both silver and copper-nickel. The silver quarters were dated 1964, and the 1965-dated quarters were made of copper and nickel. When any minting process is used, a few planchets are bound to be struck by unintended dies. This coin has nice toning and good luster with few marks.
3. 1965 Washington Quarter – Struck on Silver 25C Planchet
Price: $9,300
Grade: XF45
A rare coin error called a transitional planchet error, like the 1943 copper-plated steel cent or the 1977-D struck on silver planchets. Both silver quarters dated 1964 and clad quarters dated 1965 were struck in 1965. Eventually, a 90% silver planchet was apparently lodged within a bin that was later filled with clad planchets destined for 1965-dated dies.
This piece fooled many people into thinking it was legitimate until a sharp-eyed collector noticed the edge didn’t show any layers like clad coins would have. It was sold at auction for $9,300, making it one of the most valuable 1965 Washington quarters sold.
4. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A Five Cent Planchet
Price: $5,175
Grade: MS63
The rich honey toning of this coin’s obverse enhances the already eye-catching wrong planchet error. Well centered on the planchet. but the LIBERTY is centered and the QUARTER DOLLAR is distorted by metal flow to the border.
Struck on a special mint set quarter planchet and possibly prepared for use on a nickel die, this unique coin is considered a rarity. This coin was sold on January 7th, in 2006 on Heritage Auction for $5,175.
5. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A Silver Dime Planchet
Price: $4,887.50
Grade: AU58
In the mid-1960s, the U.S. Mint changed the composition of the dime and quarter from 90% silver to a clad copper-nickel alloy. Copper-nickel should have been used for quarters dated 1965, so the present lot has the wrong alloy.
Besides its wrong denomination and planchet, the coin is in good condition. The coin is satiny, with a lightly abraded surface and golden-brown and lime-green margins. Aligned with the collar at 5 o’clock, LIBERTY and QUARTER DOLLAR are both absent.
6. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a Silver Dime Planchet
Price: $4,600
Grade: MS62
In 1965, the U.S. Mint began using a clad copper-nickel alloy for its coins rather than a 90% silver alloy for the quarter and the dime. Quarters dated 1965 should have been struck in a copper-nickel alloy. The present coin also has the wrong alloy and the wrong denomination planchet.
This coin was graded MS62 by PCGS and was sold on the 7th of January, 2011 for $4,600. Error coins have seen high sales overtime.
7. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A 90% Silver Blank
Price: $2,760
Grade: AU50
Examples of silver blanks dated 1965 are considered a rarity. Luckily this rare coin was found probably in the midst of other regular 1965 Washington Quarters. It was graded AU50 by PCGS and was sold on the 29th of April, 2011 for $2,760.
This rare 1965 Washington Quarter made it to our list because it isn’t everyday you get to see a coin graded AU50 sold for such an amount. The AU50 grade means the coin isn’t in perfect condition and would show some scratches on the obverse and reverse.
8. 1965 Washington Quarter MS68
Price: $1,920
Grade: MS68
The first-year clad quarters set a mintage record that still stands, but they were generally ignored by collectors. Either there weren’t many preserved in high grades, or the grading services didn’t deem the issue worthy in its entirety.
This MS68 is one of three pieces that exist at the MS68 level, including a single MS68+ piece. PCGS has not certified any examples at this grade level. This coin was sold on Heritage Auctions for $1,920, which was way above its melt or face value.
9. 1965 Washington Quarter SMS SP68 Cameo
Price: $1,880
Grade: SP68
The majority of 1965 Special Mint Sets are considered brilliant or semi-brilliant. This quarter, on the other hand, has semi-frosted devices in a mirrored field, which makes the whole coin appear cameo. This coin is an ideal addition to a Registry Set.
Its rarity is 3 in 68 cameos. The grade SP68 is the highest grade given to a 1965 Washington Quarter Special Mint Set. The coin was sold for $1,880 on the 27th of April, 2017. It is one of the rarest and most valuable 1965 Washington Quarters ever documented.
10. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck On A 1 Cent Planchet
Price: $1,800
Grade: MS64
This is yet another error coin that is almost impossible to find. It was graded MS64 by PCGS. The coin doesn’t appear to have any engravings on the reverse. How did this error come about? A 1965 Washington Quarter was struck on an empty 1 cent planchet.
It was sold on July 21, 2021 for $1,800. The empty reverse is referred to as a 100% uniface reverse. This is one of the rarest and most valuable error varieties of the 1965 Washington Quarter.
11. 1965 Washington Quarter MS67+
Price: $1,440
Grade: MS67+
One of the highest grades given to a 1965 Washington Quarter is the MS67+. This grade is extremely rare for the 1965 quarter and it raises the value of the coin way past the face value of the coin. A gorgeous array of golden-tan, cerulean-blue and violet hues adorn the pristine surfaces of this Superb Gem.
The coin shimmers with a minty luster. The design elements are very well-defined, and the appeal is tremendous. The coin was sold at heritage auctions on the 4th of January, 2018 for $1,440.
12. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck Through Two Staples
Price: $1,410
Grade: AU50
This is yet another error quarter, it was struck through two stapes, 1 retained and the other damaged. As seen in the image, A small U-shaped staple is punched into the upper reverse above the eagle’s head. The staple is still attached to the document, which is an unusual feature of a struck-through item.
In the word LIBERTY, a second U-shaped staple impression is near the LIB. The staple has since been removed from the coin. This coin has been struck at an angle, toward 12:30 on the clock face. The result is a long scratch mark across the reverse from 6:30 to the I in UNITED.
13. 1965 25C Special Mint Set Washington Quarter: Broadstruck
Price: $1057.50
Grade: MS66
This quarter was struck without a collar die, which would have restrained the expansion of the coin during the strike. The borders of the rims are unusually wide, particularly along the left rim. The legends near the rims show a spreading characteristic usually associated with broadstrike. The prooflike fields are satin-finish and toned in powder-blue.
Uncirculated coins are surely part of the rare and most valuable 1965 quarters, however, it seems error coins are the hardest to find and also have high value in the coin market.
14. 1965 SMS Washington Quarter: Struck On A 5C Planchet
Price: $1,008.15
Grade: MS63
A 1965 Washington Quarter was mistakenly struck on a planchet which was intended for a 5 Cent coin. This kind of error is referred to as a planchet error, mistakes like this are rare to find and hence highly valuable.
The coin is graded MS63 and was actually valuable at $5,000 by a book called Greatest Mint Errors. However, it was sold at auction on the 26th of April, 2015 for $1,008.15. Hence making it to our list of rare and most valuable 1965 quarters.
15. 1965 Washington Quarter: Struck on a Dime Planchet
Price: $862.50
Grade: MS66
Here’s the last but not least on our list of rare and most valuable 1965 Washington Quarters. This is yet another planchet error coin, a 1965 quarter was struck on a planchet meant for a dime. Because the dime is smaller than the quarter, some details of the quarter appear cut off at the edges.
The date is complete and most of the design is fairly well centered. The coin has a bright, shiny mint luster. This rare coin was sold in 2005, June 30th for $862.50.
The History Of 1965 Washington Quarters
The Washington quarter is a present-day quarter dollar produced by the United States Mint. The first version of the coin was minted in 1932; sculptor John Flanagan designed it. The Washington quarter was 90% fine silver up until 1964, when rising prices in silver led to using the Johnson Sandwich: a sandwich of nickel between two layers of copper.
This coin was minted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. It features a portrait of the first president of the United States. Born on February 22, 1732, Washington was commemorated on this coin to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Quarters were not always the same composition. From 1932 to 1964, they were silver. They became a clad composition from 1965 to 1998. And this quarter is one of those clad composition quarters from 1965.
The first version of the Washington quarter, which was issued from 1932 to 1998, was designed by John Flanagan, even though he was not the winner of a competition to select an artist for the new quarter.
| 1965 Washington Quarter | |
| Metal Composition | 91.67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel |
| Mass/Weight | 5.67 grams |
| Diameter | 24.03 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Designer | John Flanagan |
Over the course of the quarter’s production, its design has changed to reflect the period in which it was minted. The quarter maintains the head of George Washington on the obverse side but its reverse has gone through a few adjustments.
The 1965 Washington Quarter, unlike others, was struck only in the Philadelphia mint; it does not bear a mint mark on the obverse. The Denver and San Francisco mints did not produce the 1965 quarters.
1965 Washington Quarter Value
As of October 2022, you can expect to pay between $0.30 and $0.85 for a Washington Quarter from 1965 in circulated condition. However, on the open market 1964 Washington Quarters in pristine, uncirculated condition can sell for as much as $5250.
According to the USA coin book, The estimated value of a 1965 quarter in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition is $10 or more.
The Washington quarter was first designed by John Flanagan in 1932 and has become one of the longest-running coin series in United States history. The Washington quarter was struck from a 90% silver composition through 1964. In 1965, circulating Washington quarters were changed to a copper-nickel composition which significantly affects the value of this coin.
Grade |
Price |
Good |
$0.30 |
Fine |
$0.30 |
Very Fine |
$0.30 |
AU50 |
$0.40 |
AU55 |
$0.50 |
AU58 |
$0.75 |
MS61 |
$2.50 |
MS64 |
$7.50 |
MS66 |
$30 |
MS68 |
$5,250 |
In the year 1965, only the Philadelphia mint produced the quarters, the Denver and San Francisco mint did not strike quarters that year. A total of 1,819,717,540 coins were struck at the Philadelphia mint which means a whole lot of these coins were circulated. The 1965 quarter value increases only when the coin is found in Uncirculated condition or when the coin is associated with a planchet error.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell if a 1965 quarter is rare?
Over 1.8 billion 1965 quarters were minted in total, this means there’s a chance you would still find a 1965 quarter in circulation today or maybe in your pocket change, however, what makes a 1965 quarter rare is the circumstance surrounding the coin. If the coin is an error coin it would be tagged as rare and valuable.
One quick example would be the planchet error. The 1965 Washington quarter is supposed to be struck on a planchet that consists of 91.67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel in composition. However, when the coin is struck on a different planchet such as a silver, dime or cent planchet it is considered a rarity and shoots the value upwards.
What is the error in the 1965 quarter?
The common error in the 1965 quarter is the planchet error, especially the silver planchet error. In 1965 the quarter switched from using silver to clad. Silver 1965 quarters are special because they’re transitional error coins that contain beyond what the coin was supposed to contain.
A few coins bearing the 1965 were struck on a silver planchet instead of the clad planchet. The number of coins struck in this manner remains unknown, a couple of errors have been discovered as recorded by PCGS.
Where is the mintmark on a 1965 quarter?
The 1965 quarter was minted in the Philadelphia mint, coins struck in this mint did not have mint marks on their obverse or reverse. Only coins in Denver and San Francisco would bear “D” and “S” mint marks respectively.
In 1965 to 1967, quarters were minted with no mint marks, regardless of where they were produced. The “clad era” started in August 1965, when silver was removed from dime and quarter coins.
Are all 1965 quarters silver?
1965 quarters do not contain silver, they were never intended to contain silver. The primary composition of the 1965 Washington Quarter is 91.67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel. However, there’s a chance that your 1965 quarter might actually contain silver in it and that is because an unknown number of 1965 quarters were accidentally struck on a silver planchet.
How many 1965 silver quarters exist?
The Philadelphia mint created a couple of 1965 Silver quarters, however, the total number of accidental coins is unknown. However, more than one 1965 silver quarter has been found and graded by PCGS.
Conclusion
There are a variety of factors that influence the value of coins. Rarity and historical significance are two main deciding factors. The value is also ultimately determined by what the market can bear at the time of sale. An inexperienced collector may not always take these factors into consideration when examining a coin, but it is something to keep in mind if you are interested in making investments on your own.
We hope you have enjoyed reading about the rare and most valuable 1965 quarters ever sold. Whether thinking about collecting quarters for investment or just for fun, it is important to keep in mind the many factors that influence value. An informed collector is a good collector!
