By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….
The 2021 Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter was a one-year type of the Washington Quarter issued by the United States Mint as a stopgap between multi-year, multi-coin programs. The last America the Beautiful Quarter came out earlier that year, and the first American Women Quarter would come out in January 2022.
The Mint unveiled the design on Christmas in 2020, which was the 244th anniversary of George Washington’s crossing of the icy Delaware River in 1776 to take the Hessian mercenaries stationed in Trenton, New Jersey by surprise. Benjamin Sowards, a Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) designer, created the reverse, and Mint Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso sculpted it. John Flanagan’s iconic Washington effigy was restored to the obverse after having been sharpened and resized for the 50 State Quarters Program over 20 years prior.
Denver struck over one billion circulating business strike 2021-D Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarters, a mintage about 170 million pieces higher than the Philadelphia issue.
How Much Is the 2021-D Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter Worth?
Because coins like the 2021-D Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter are common and easy to find in Mint State, major firms that sell numismatic material usually do not bother with them unless they are part of a set or collection. So the best place to look for an understanding of the current market is eBay.
NGC reports 17 grading events in MS69 as of September 2024, and one of those sold on eBay for $400 in August. A PCGS MS67 sold in August for $40, and both NCG and PCGS MS66s went for around $30. Strangely, a PCGS MS65 sold for $2.25 and an MS64 sold for $20. Make of that what you will.
Raw quarters have sold for squarely between $1 and $2 – typical for uncertified coins of contemporary vintage in collectable condition.
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2021-D Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS MS69 (2, 9/2024), NGC MS69 (17, 9/2024), and CAC N/A (0:0 stickered:graded, 9/2024).
- NGC MS69: eBay, August 9, 2024, Lot 276569833095 – $400.
- PCGS MS67: eBay, August 9, 2024, Lot 276569829880 – $40. First Day of Issue label.
- NGC MS66: eBay, September 19, 2024, Lot 353719105715 – $29.95.
- PCGS MS65 #43305849: eBay, September 9, 2024, Lot 156359016645 – $2.25.
- PCGS MS65 #44376577: eBay, August 27, 2024, Lot 334497199274 – $20.
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Design
Obverse:
The obverse features John Flanagan’s famous effigy of President George Washington, facing left. Inside a flat rim is the word LIBERTY clockwise at the top and the date 2021 at the bottom. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST is placed to the lower left in front of Washington’s face, the words arranged in two lines. The P mintmark for Philadelphia is at the end of Washington’s ponytail or queue, and Flanagan’s initials JF are on the right side of the base of Washington’s neck.
Reverse:
General Washington faces right, saber drawn, as he commands his troops through the overnight crossing of the icy Delaware River. In the background is a boat filled with Continental Army soldiers. Inscriptions include CROSSING THE DELAWARE, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the denomination QUARTER DOLLAR.
Edge:
The edge of the 2021-D Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter is reeded.
Designers
American sculptor John Flanagan’s work in the medallic and metal arts ranks him as one of the best artists of his generation. For generations of coin collectors, he is most famous for his Washington Quarter design (View Designer’s Profile).
AIP artist Benjamin Sowards studied at Brigham Young University and Laguna College of Art and Design. He is known for his portraiture and fully painted book illustrations – including the Leven Thumps series of young adult fantasy novels. He has taught as Director of the Illustration Program at Southern Utah University since 2001.
Former Mint Medallic Artist Michael Gaudioso joined the United States Mint in 2009, having worked at the Willet Hauser stained glass studio in Minnesota. He studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, the New York Academy Graduate School of Figurative Art in New York City, and the Repin Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia. Gaudioso retired from the Mint in 2020.
Coin Specifications
| Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter | |
| Year of Issue: | 2021 |
| Mintmark | D (Denver) |
| Mintage: | 1,169,400,000 |
| Alloy: | Outer layers of .750 copper, .250 nickel bonded to pure copper core |
| Weight: | 5.67 g |
| Diameter: | 24.30 mm |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| OBV Designer: | John Flanagan |
| REV Designer: | Benjamin Sowards | Michael Gaudioso |
| Quality: | Business Strike |
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