1947-D

The 1947-D quarter came off the Denver presses at 15,338,400 pieces, a routine postwar output that placed Denver between Philadelphia's 22.5 million and San Francisco's much smaller 5.5 million for the year. The 1947 group as a whole reflects the easing of wartime quarter demand: factories were no longer paying weekly cash payrolls at the volumes of 1942 through 1945, and Treasury orders dropped accordingly across all three mints. The D mintmark on this issue appears on the reverse below the wreath, which is the correct location for Denver and San Francisco quarters from 1932 through 1964 before the 1965 to 1967 mintmark suspension and the eventual move to the obverse in 1968.

Strike quality on the 1947-D runs better than its Philadelphia counterpart in many cases, with the eagle's breast feathers and Washington's hair detail above the ear holding up more consistently. The D mintmark itself is the focus of the authentication check: examine the punch under five-to-ten-power magnification for any sign of an underlying letter, particularly an S ghost, since the famous 1950-D D/S over-mintmark was struck three years later from a similar die-shop practice and lesser doubling on adjacent dates does turn up occasionally in collector hands. Counterfeit risk is otherwise low. Population reports at PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, show the date is well-represented through MS65, with a clear thinning above MS66 that gives the coin a registry premium at the upper end of the Mint State range.

The issue is a common date in the catalog, set-fillable in circulated grades for moderate premiums over silver melt and obtainable in MS65 without much patience. Toning enthusiasts seek out the relatively few examples that escaped the dipping cycle of the 1960s and 1970s, since original-skin Denver quarters of this vintage trade at strong premiums when the color is pleasing rather than spotty. Realistic acquisition is a certified MS65 or MS66 from a major auction, with the genuinely difficult upgrade target sitting at MS67 where examples are scarce enough to demand four-figure money. For the broader story of John Flanagan's design and the series' production arc, see the Washington Quarter series history.