1972-D 25C MS66 Certification #03989415, PCGS #5890

Charles Morgan

Most 1972-D Washington Quarters (#5890) found in Mint Sets exhibit a strong, mostly complete strike. This strike quality is typically evidenced by well-defined chest feather detail on the reverse and sharp, well-defined lettering on both the obverse and reverse. The coin’s reverse is often described as being "busier" than the obverse, which generally means that post-production contact marks are more easily concealed within the complexity of the design detail.

Collectible 1972-D Quarters

While the 1972-D Quarter primarily circulated in the Western United States, the coin was struck in sufficient numbers that examples eventually turned up at banks throughout the country. Circulated versions primarily serve as album hole fillers, but coin collectors prefer coins in Mint State (MS). Mint State examples can be found in original bank rolls or in the 1972 Uncirculated Coin Set. This set contained an example of each circulating coin struck at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, along with the 1972-S Lincoln Cent (#2959), which was the only circulation strike coin produced at the San Francisco Mint that year.

PCGS population data shows that 1972-D Quarters are submitted at a 2:1 rate over the 1972 (P) issue (#5889). This is largely attributed to the fact that the Denver Mint struck "flashier" coins throughout the 1970s. For comparison, the 1972-D Washington Quarter tops out at MS68, with more than 250 examples graded MS67. In contrast, the Philadelphia strike has an MS67 population that is approximately one-tenth the size, with no coins (as of December 2025) graded finer than MS67+.

Clad Washington Quarters can tone, although their typical toning patterns are generally less colorful than those found on silver coins. Rainbow toning on a 1972-D Washington Quarter will often exhibit peacock iridescence. Lustrous brilliant white quarters and PQ (Premium Quality) rainbow toners command higher prices than typical coins within the same grade.

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