1942

The 1942 Philadelphia quarter marks the production jump that defined the wartime years. The Mint struck 102,117,123 pieces of the coin, more than five times the prewar 1941 Philadelphia output and a clear response to wartime cash demand as the U.S. economy mobilized. Composition stayed at 90% silver and 10% copper, a 6.25-gram blank yielding .1808 ounces of actual silver weight. That is worth noting because the Mint did pull silver from the five-cent denomination in late 1942 to create the "war nickel" alloy, and the one-cent coin shifted to zinc-coated steel for 1943; the quarter denomination never made the same wartime substitution, so the 1942 Washington remains a full silver issue throughout its 90% run.

Strike quality on the coin is good for the era, though dies pressed deep into wartime production runs show the typical softness on Washington's hair above the ear and on the eagle's breast feathers. Look for John Flanagan's JF initials at the truncation of Washington's neck, which appear on every legitimate piece and serve as a quick die-marker check during authentication. The 1942 Philadelphia is also the parent issue of a famous Doubled Die Obverse variety, attributed at FS-101 in the Cherrypickers' Guide system; on the standard die-marriage coin, examine IN GOD WE TRUST and the date under five-to-ten-power magnification for any hub doubling before assuming you have a plain 1942. Counterfeit pressure on the regular date is minimal, but the standard Philadelphia issue is sometimes used as a donor coin for added-mintmark fakes purporting to be 1942-D or 1942-S, so any raw 1942 with a reverse mintmark deserves authentication through PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, or NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company.

The coin is a common date today, set-fillable in circulated grades for modest premiums over silver melt and obtainable in Mint State up through MS65 without effort. Above MS66 the population thins; original-skin gems with full luster and minimal cheek marks earn registry-set premiums. Year-set builders and wartime specialists make up most of the buyer base. For the broader story of John Flanagan's design and the series' production arc, see the Washington Quarter series history.