That ordinary quarter sitting in your pocket change could be hiding significant value. While most 1982 quarters circulate at face value, specific mint marks combined with exceptional condition or rare minting errors can transform these common coins into collectibles worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Understanding what separates a 25-cent coin from a $1,200 treasure requires knowledge of mint marks, grading standards, and the manufacturing mistakes that make certain pieces extraordinarily valuable.

Understanding 1982 Quarter Mint Mark Locations and Basics

The United States Mint produced quarters at three facilities in 1982, each applying a distinctive mint mark on the obverse (front) of the coin. Located just behind George Washington’s ponytail, these small letters identify where your quarter originated. The Philadelphia Mint used “P” (or occasionally produced coins with no mint mark), Denver used “D,” and San Francisco used “S” exclusively for proof coins sold to collectors.

Quarters from 1982 feature the standard Washington design introduced in 1932. The obverse displays President Washington’s profile facing left, with “LIBERTY” above and “IN GOD WE TRUST” to the left. The reverse shows an eagle with wings spread, perched on a bundle of arrows with olive branches, surrounded by “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”

The composition remained consistent across all three mints: a copper-nickel clad construction with a pure copper core sandwiched between outer layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Each quarter weighs 5.67 grams with a diameter of 24.3 millimeters and a reeded edge containing 119 ridges.

1982-P Philadelphia Quarter Values and Production

Philadelphia struck the majority of circulation quarters in 1982, producing approximately 500 million pieces. Most 1982-P quarters remain worth exactly 25 cents when found in circulated condition. The value equation changes dramatically when examining uncirculated specimens with minimal handling marks.

A 1982-P quarter graded MS-60 (the lowest uncirculated grade) typically sells for $1 to $2. Moving up the grading scale, MS-63 examples command $3 to $5, while MS-64 specimens reach $8 to $12 at auction. The real premium begins at MS-65, where pristine examples with strong luster and minimal contact marks trade for $25 to $45.

According to Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) population reports, fewer than 200 1982-P quarters have achieved the MS-67 grade, making these specimens worth $150 to $300. Only a handful have reached MS-68, with those rarities selling for $800 to $1,500 when they appear at major auctions.

1982-D Denver Quarter Characteristics and Market Prices

The Denver Mint produced a similarly large quantity of quarters in 1982, making 1982-D specimens equally common in pocket change. These quarters follow the same value progression as their Philadelphia counterparts, with condition serving as the primary determinant of worth.

Circulated 1982-D quarters showing wear on Washington’s cheek, hair details, and the eagle’s breast feathers remain at face value. Lightly circulated pieces grading About Uncirculated 50 (AU-50) might fetch 50 cents to $1 from dealers looking to fill specific orders, but expecting more requires moving into uncirculated territory.

The Denver quarters in MS-63 condition sell for $3 to $6, slightly overlapping with Philadelphia prices. MS-64 examples trade between $7 and $13, while MS-65 pieces command $20 to $40 depending on eye appeal and strike quality. Some Denver quarters exhibit weaker strikes on the eagle’s breast feathers, which reduces premium even at higher numerical grades.

Exceptional MS-67 specimens of 1982-D quarters have sold through Heritage Auctions for $225 to $350, with the finest known MS-68 example achieving $1,200 in a 2022 auction. The rarity at these upper grades stems from production priorities that emphasized quantity over quality during the early 1980s.

1982-S San Francisco Proof Quarter Premium Pricing

San Francisco specialized in proof coinage in 1982, striking approximately 3.8 million proof quarters exclusively for collector sets. These pieces feature mirror-like fields with frosted design elements, created through special polished dies and multiple strikes on polished planchets. Unlike circulation strikes, proof coins were never intended for commerce, making them fundamentally different products.

The grading scale for proof coins uses the “PR” or “PF” prefix rather than “MS,” ranging from PR-60 to PR-70. A standard 1982-S proof quarter in PR-60 condition, showing handling marks or haze, sells for $5 to $8. PR-65 examples with minimal imperfections trade for $12 to $18.

The market becomes interesting at PR-68, where pristine 1982-S quarters command $45 to $75. Deep Cameo (DCAM) or Ultra Cameo (UCAM) designations, indicating maximum contrast between frosted devices and mirrored fields, add 30% to 50% premiums at this grade level.

PR-69 Deep Cameo specimens reach $150 to $225, while the coveted PR-70 DCAM grade—representing absolute perfection with zero flaws visible under 5x magnification—brings $650 to $950. PCGS has certified only 87 1982-S quarters at the PR-70 DCAM level as of 2024, explaining the significant premium over lower grades.

Valuable Double Die Errors on 1982 Quarters

Double die errors occur when the working hub impresses the master die twice in slightly different positions, creating doubled images on the final coin. The effect appears as notched serifs on lettering or doubled lines on design elements. 1982 quarters have produced several documented double die varieties affecting both obverse and reverse.

The most notable 1982-D double die obverse (DDO) shows clear doubling on “LIBERTY” and the date, particularly visible on the “B” and “E” of LIBERTY under magnification. A 1982-D quarter with this error in MS-64 condition sold for $385 through Great Collections in 2023, while an MS-65 example reached $575 at a Stack’s Bowers auction the same year.

A 1982-P double die reverse (DDR) affects the eagle’s tail feathers and the letters in “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” This variety remains scarcer than the Denver obverse error, with MS-63 specimens selling for $225 to $325. Higher-grade examples seldom appear at auction, but an MS-66 piece achieved $820 in a 2024 Heritage sale.

Identifying genuine double die errors requires careful examination under magnification. Machine doubling or strike doubling creates a similar appearance but lacks the crisp, well-defined separation of true doubled die errors. True double dies show a notched effect on letters and design elements, while mechanical doubling appears as shelf-like extensions without distinct separation.

The value of doubled die quarters increases exponentially with error severity. Minor doubling visible only under magnification adds 10 to 20 times face value, while dramatic doubling apparent to the naked eye commands hundreds of dollars even in circulated grades.

Extraordinary Mint Errors Worth Thousands

Beyond double dies, several dramatic minting errors on 1982 quarters have produced specimens worth four-figure sums. These errors result from wrong planchets, multiple strikes, or foreign objects interfering with the striking process.

A 1982-P quarter struck on a dime planchet represents one of the most valuable errors from this year. This wrong planchet error occurs when a dime blank accidentally feeds into the quarter press. The resulting coin shows the quarter design compressed onto the smaller 17.9-millimeter dime planchet, creating a distinctive appearance. A 1982-P quarter on dime planchet graded MS-64 by PCGS sold for $1,275 through Heritage Auctions in 2023.

The reverse configuration—a 1982-P double denomination with dime design elements combined with quarter strikes—achieved $1,450 in a 2024 auction. These double denomination errors happen when a coin receives strikes from dies of different denominations, creating a hybrid piece showing design elements from both.

Wrong planchet errors on nickel blanks also exist for 1982 quarters. A quarter struck on a 5-gram nickel planchet weighs significantly less than the standard 5.67 grams and appears smaller in diameter. An MS-63 example of this error sold for $425 in 2023, while an MS-65 specimen reached $675.

Off-center strikes, where the planchet isn’t properly positioned in the collar during striking, create dramatic visual errors. A 1982-D quarter struck 15% off-center, showing full date and partial design, sold for $185 in MS-62 condition. More extreme 40% to 50% off-center pieces with complete dates command $400 to $650 depending on the visual appeal of the error.

Broadstrikes occur when the retaining collar fails to engage during striking, allowing metal to spread beyond normal boundaries. A 1982-P broadstrike quarter measuring 26.5 millimeters (versus the normal 24.3) achieved $95 in MS-63 grade. These errors remain more common than wrong planchet strikes but still represent significant premiums over face value.

Examining Finned Rims and Indent Errors

Finned rim errors create raised metal fins extending from the coin’s edge, resulting from grease or debris in the collar during striking. A 1982-D quarter with pronounced finned rim extending 2 millimeters from the edge sold for $145 in AU-55 condition through eBay authentication in 2024. More subtle examples command $35 to $65 depending on fin size and overall preservation.

Indent errors happen when a struck coin or foreign object remains on the planchet during the next strike, leaving a curved impression. A 1982-P quarter with a 6-millimeter reverse indent from another quarter achieved $275 in MS-62 grade at a Stack’s Bowers auction. The indent’s size, depth, and position affect value, with central indents commanding higher premiums than edge strikes.

Combination errors showing multiple problems—such as a 1982-D quarter with both finned rim and 10% off-center strike—multiply values substantially. This specific combination sold for $385 in MS-60 condition, demonstrating how multiple errors create synergistic value increases.

Identifying Lamination Errors and Strike Through Problems

Lamination errors expose the copper core of clad coinage when bonding failures separate the outer nickel layer from the inner copper. These defects appear as peeling metal, missing chunks, or bubbled surfaces. A 1982-P quarter with a 10-millimeter lamination peel on the obverse achieved $65 in AU-58 condition, while a more dramatic example covering 40% of the coin’s surface sold for $155 in MS-61 grade.

Strike through errors occur when foreign material—grease, cloth, wire, or other debris—sits on the planchet during striking, preventing metal flow and creating incused impressions. A 1982-D quarter with strike through grease covering Washington’s profile traded for $45 in MS-63 condition. More interesting strike throughs involving identifiable objects like wire fragments command $125 to $250.

Filled die errors, sometimes called grease strikes, happen when grease or debris packs into die recesses, preventing full design transfer. Letters or design elements appear weak, faded, or completely missing. While common on worn dies, dramatic examples showing complete absence of major design elements sell for $30 to $75 depending on the affected areas.

Professional Grading: When Certification Makes Financial Sense

Third-party grading through PCGS, Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), or ANACS provides authentication and impartial condition assessment. The encapsulation process costs $20 to $40 per coin for standard service levels, creating a break-even calculation for owners.

For regular-strike 1982 quarters without errors, certification makes financial sense only for coins likely to grade MS-66 or higher. The $30 grading fee plus $8 shipping means spending $38 for authentication. Since MS-65 1982 quarters sell for $25 to $45, certification creates a net loss unless the coin achieves MS-66 or better.

Error coins follow different economics. Any 1982 quarter with a genuine doubled die, wrong planchet, or significant off-center strike benefits from certification regardless of numerical grade. The authentication service proves the error’s legitimacy, dramatically improving marketability. A raw 1982-P quarter on dime planchet might struggle to find buyers at $500, while the same coin in a PCGS holder readily achieves $1,200 to $1,500.

Proof quarters present an intermediate situation. Certification makes sense for PR-68 or better specimens, where the $38 investment protects against market skepticism and enhances resale potential. Lower-grade proofs showing toning, spots, or handling marks typically don’t justify certification costs.

Maximizing Your 1982 Quarter Discovery Potential

Finding valuable 1982 quarters requires systematic searching through pocket change, bank rolls, and estate accumulations. Start by examining the area behind Washington’s ponytail for mint marks, separating quarters by origin. Philadelphia and Denver quarters from this year number in the hundreds of millions, making cherry-picking through large quantities essential for error discovery.

Use a 10x jeweler’s loupe or 16x microscope to inspect dates, lettering, and design elements for doubling. Genuine doubled dies show distinct separation with notched serifs, differentiating them from worthless machine doubling. Check weights using a digital scale accurate to 0.01 grams; wrong planchet errors immediately reveal themselves through weight discrepancies.

Examine edges for finned rims, broadstrike spreading, or unusual reeding patterns. Hold quarters at angles under bright light to spot lamination issues, strike throughs, or planchet defects. These surface problems often hide in plain sight until proper lighting reveals the abnormality.

Build relationships with bank tellers willing to set aside customer coin deposits or sell quarter rolls at face value. Some collectors report finding error coins in 1 out of every 300 to 500 rolls searched, making volume searching necessary for consistent discoveries. Document interesting finds with photographs before deciding on certification, creating a reference library of varieties encountered.

The market for 1982 quarter errors remains active through major auction houses, online marketplaces, and dealer networks. Heritage Auctions, Stack’s Bowers, and Great Collections regularly feature significant errors, providing price guidance and liquidity for quality pieces. Understanding the specific characteristics that separate $5 varieties from $1,500 rarities transforms casual pocket change inspection into potentially profitable numismatic research.