USA 25 cents Washington Quarter 1956
USA, Philadelphia
Attributes of Coins
| Region | USA |
|---|---|
| Denomination | ¼ dollar |
| Krause number | KM# 164 |
| Metal | Silver 0.900 |
| thickness | 1.75 mm |
| diameter | 24.26 mm |
| weight | 6.25 g |
Obverse:
Head of state
Description:
George Washington (1st President of the USA)
Creators:
John Flanagan (JF)
IN GOD WE TRUST
LIBERTY
Reverse:
Bird
Description:
Eagle
Creators:
John Flanagan (JF)
E PLURIBUS UNUM
QUARTER DOLLAR
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Introduction of Coins
Though sales of proof sets for 1956 failed to achieve the 50% increase typical of previous years, the overall number of sets delivered rose by nearly 300,000 units. This was a figure unimaginable by anyone at the Mint or in the coin hobby when proof sales had resumed in 1950. The quality of proof coins had also risen quite a bit by 1956, and the number of Cameo and Ultra Cameo proofs available for this issue is dramatically higher than for earlier years. Many of these sales were made to pure speculators seeking to flip the sets within days or weeks of delivery. The market in proof sets was very hot by 1956, with dealers bringing chalk boards to coin shows so that their buy and sell prices could be updated frequently. From 1956 through 1964 the dies used to coin proofs were put into service at the Philadelphia Mint making ordinary currency strikes when no longer needed or fit for their original purpose. Since the proof quarter dollars of 1937-64 were made with reverse dies that differed from those normally seen on currency coins, these former proof dies have created a collecting specialty in MS coins exhibiting the Type B Reverse. A minor DDO variety is known for the 1956 proof quarter.Read More
