A Georgia State Quarter With A Golden Color Is Worth A Ton Of Money

In 1999, the U.S. Mint embarked on a popular program that commemorated each of the 50 states in the union with a special quarter. The obverse side of each state quarter, which is the "heads" side, features the same portrait of George Washington that's been utilized since 1932. However, the reverse, or "tails" side, showcases unique designs that highlight the agriculture, pastimes, and points of interest that each state is known for.

That unique reverse side of state quarters is also the location where certain errors and quirks are apt to occur. Unlike some items which might be devalued by flawed craftsmanship, coins containing errors can be worth a ton of money. For example, a 2005 Minnesota commemorative quarter with an extra spruce tree is valued as high as $275 in the finest possible condition. Another well known valuable state quarter is the 2004 issue commemorating Wisconsin. Highly-graded specimens featuring an extra leaf on an ear of corn in the artwork have sold in the neighborhood of $500. 

In the case of Georgia's state quarter from 1999, the most valuable error isn't a small stamping flaw like an extra tree. Rather, the quarter was struck on an experimental planchet — a round, blank piece of metal — originally intended for the Sacagawea dollar. Today, these unconventional quarters can be worth up to $10,000.

The Sacagawea dollar — introduced in 2000 to honor native American culture — is known for its warm golden hue. That's courtesy of a brass coating designed to differentiate the Sacagawea dollar from regular quarters. That color variation is necessary because dollar coins and quarters have nearly the same dimensions and silver-tone $1 coins were sometimes mistaken for the lower-value quarter — even by vending machines.

As the legend goes, some Philadelphia Mint employees were curious how the gold-tinted alloy from Sacagawea dollars would look on an actual quarter, so they whipped up a bunch, some of which happened to be Georgia state quarters. One might think that such an experiment would stay within the walls of the mint, but in fact, the golden quarters were somehow released to the general public for circulation. That means you could realistically stumble across one of these collectibles in your vacation fund change jar.

Besides the unusual color, the weight of this experimental planchet Georgia state quarter is between 5.9 and 6.3 grams, which is heavier than a normal 5.67 gram quarter. It's also thicker than a regular quarter, particularly in the rim with a raised edge around the outside of the coin. As well, the rim may not have as many or any serrations, called reeding, around the edge like a typical quarter. 

Once this rare dollar/quarter hybrid commemorating Georgia has been positively identified, exactly how much can you expect to sell it for? According to U.S. Coins Guide, some examples have sold for a cool $10,000, although details on these sales are sparse. However, a more quantifiable sale of $7,200 occurred at Heritage Auctions in January 2020. Albeit, that particular coin was graded MS67 (short for "mint state"), which represents nearly perfect condition. Meanwhile, a merely above-average condition experimental planchet Georgia quarter sold for a still-impressive $2,160 in February, 2020, also at Heritage Auctions.

The exact number of experimental planchet Georgia state quarters in existence isn't completely clear, but it is known that approximately 15 known quarters, of various states, that were struck on golden planchets during the development of the Sacagawea dollar. Besides Georgia, the other state quarters involved in the 15 experimental planchets include Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, although a per-state breakdown isn't available. 

Unlike other valuable coins that you might have lying around, it might not be terribly likely to find one of just a tiny handful of these special Georgia quarters in the wild. But they are indeed out there and the good news is that you won't have to scrutinize the details under a magnifying glass because the color will immediately expose this valuable find.