The year-long 1976 bicentennial celebration of the United States' 200th birthday was filled with trinkets, collectibles, souvenirs, and other things to buy.
A set of bicentennial quarters from the U.S. Mint now fetch high prices as the country approaches its 250th birthday.
According to Chronicle Collectibles, the Mint made commemorative bicentennial coins in 1975 and 1976. They were the first U.S. quarters in 50 years with a distinctive reverse design.
According to Chronicle Collectibles, a 1976-S Bicentennial Silver Quarter with a high quality went for $19,200 at auction a few years ago. Other bicentennial quarters sell for a lot. Many others have too.
The U.S. Mint says most of these coins were "clad," or sandwiched nickel, copper, and zinc. Chronicle Collectibles stated that some bicentennial quarters were 40% silver, which is notable because silver coins are rarer and more valuable.
Perfect coins sell for the most. Philadelphia (809,784,016 coins), Denver (860,118,839 coins), and San Francisco (11,000,000 uncirculated 40% silver coins, 7,059,099 proof clad coins, and 4 million proof 40% silver coins) manufactured the bicentennial quarters.