1932 Washington Quarter (Silver Issues 1932-1964)

Intriguing History

1932 marked the debut of the Washington quarter, commissioned not as a commemorative but as the new permanent design for the 25-cent piece, timed to the bicentennial of George Washington's birth in 1732. John Flanagan's portrait, adapted from Jean-Antoine Houdon's bust of Washington, replaced the Standing Liberty design that had run since 1916. The Philadelphia Mint struck this first issue in strong numbers, unlike its scarcer Denver and San Francisco counterparts from the same debut year, which remain key dates in the series.