Worn 198(?) Washington Quarter Dollar

This item is a United States Washington Quarter, measuring approximately 24.26 mm in diameter. Based on the visible copper-colored core appearing through the nickel plating on the edges and surface, it is a post-1964 cupro-nickel clad composition composed of an outer layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to a pure copper core. The obverse features the left-facing profile of George Washington as designed by John Flanagan. The word 'LIBERTY' is visible along the top arc, and the national motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' is stamped on the left. The date at the bottom is heavily worn but appears to begin with '198', suggesting a mintage during the 1980s. The coin is in poor condition, exhibiting significant physical wear, surface abrasions, and impact damage. Large chunks of the rim are missing or compressed, particularly on the right side. The overall surface is dull and lacks original mint luster, showing evidence of heavy circulation or environmental damage. There are no clear mint marks visible behind the pigtail of the portrait (where 'P', 'D', or 'S' would typically be located), though the corrosion and wear may have obscured them. The strike appears standard for a business strike coin of this era, though the details are now flattened and distorted.

I have conducted a visual examination of the 198(?) Washington Quarter. The specimen displays extreme wear consistent with the 'Poor' (P-1) to 'Fair' (FR-2) grades on the Sheldon Scale. The planchet shows significant circulatory trauma, including rim dings, heavy abrasions, and exposure of the copper core, which is standard for cupro-nickel clad coinage of this era. While the date is partially obscured, the '198' prefix confirms it is a common business strike from the 1980s. From a numismatic standpoint, the coin lacks any rare mint marks or recognizable error varieties that would command a premium. The market for heavily circulated modern quarters is dominated by face-value transactions, as there is no collector demand for examples in this state of degradation. Authenticity appears genuine regarding its manufacture as a U.S. Mint product, though the lack of luster and significant surface damage makes it impossible to rule out environmental corrosion versus chemical exposure without physical testing. This appraisal is based on image analysis alone. A physical inspection would be required to verify weight to the nearest hundredth of a gram and to use a digital microscope to confirm the exact final digit of the date. However, such testing would not increase the valuation. Given the high mintage figures of the 1980s (often exceeding 1 billion per year), this coin remains a common circulation piece with a value of exactly twenty-five cents.