Known as “The Father of His Country,” George Washington was so instrumental in the early success of the United States of America that his accomplishments are impossible to encapsulate in just a few sentences. In brief, however, he led the Continental Army from 1775 to 1781, keeping it from collapsing into utter disillusionment even during the darkest days of the nation’s struggle for independence. Instead of taking the course of so many military leaders throughout history by retaining power, he voluntarily relinquished it to return to his estate, Mount Vernon. Called from retirement to lead the nation politically in 1789, he served two terms as the USA’s first federal president. Again revealing his wisdom and moderation, he declined to accept a third term, despite many calls to proclaim his president for life. Aging and exhausted, the great Washington died just three years later and quickly passed into legend.

   In his own lifetime, George Washington refused to have his portrait appear on the nation’s coinage, as it had the taint of monarchy. This precedent held for more than a century, but, as the bicentennial of Washington’s birth approached in 1932 Congress passed legislation mandating that his image be placed on the quarter dollar. Initially planned as a one-year-only tribute, this circulating commemorative coin proved so popular with the public and so much easier to coin than its predecessor that the design was retained when production resumed in 1934.

   The U.S. Treasury Department sponsored a design competition in 1931 for the new coin, the portrait of Washington to be based upon the famous bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon. Though the Commission of Fine Arts recommended the models submitted by Laura Gardin Fraser, the choice belonged to Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, who selected the work of John Flanagan. The artist portrayed Washington in a dignified, left-facing nude bust, with his intials ‘JF’ placed in tiny letters at the truncation. By law, the reverse of the quarter dollar had to include an eagle, and Flanagan perched his modernistic bird upon a bundle of arrows surmounting a wreath.

   The three mints then active coined just over 400,000 complete sets of the new quarter for the benefit of those wishing to collect them, while Philadelphia produced an additional five million pieces to meet the needs of souvenir keepers within the general public. Since the Great Depression limited the need for circulating coinage, no more Washington Quarters were struck in 1933. From 1934 onward production was fairly steady, resulting in no true rarities within this series other than the 1932-D and 1932-S issues. Several dates, however, are quite scarce in gem Mint State condition. These include 1935-D, 1936-D and 1937-S.

   The vast numbers of coins produced during the early 1960s put upward pressure on the price of silver, and its days as a coining metal were clearly numbered. Legislation passed in July of 1965 replaced the 90% silver coinage with quarter dollars comprised of copper and nickel. The coin were actually of pure copper at their centers, with layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to the pure copper on obverse and reverse. The Washington Quarter was the first of these “clad” coins to appear, its release occurring in November of 1965. Coins bearing that date were struck through July of the following year in an effort to fully supplant the silver issues.

   To limit the appeal of the new coins to collectors and thus reduce the number set aside Congress mandated that the use of mintmarks be suspended until further notice. This ban was not lifted until 1968, by which time the supply of clad coins was considered fully adequate. The mintmark letters ‘D’ (Denver) and ‘S’ (San Francisco), formerly located beneath the wreath on the coin’s reverse, were now and henceforth placed on the obverse, to the right of Washington’s queue.

   The coining of proofs also resumed in 1968, now bearing the mark of the San Francisco Mint. These brilliant finish coins for collectors previously had been produced solely at the Philadelphia Mint from 1936 through 1942 and again 1950-64. The manufacture and sale of proof coin sets had been suspended during 1965-67, as the mints concentrated on replacing the silver coins with clad pieces. For this interim period, the U.S. Mint offered collectors a pseudo-proof substitute which it labeled Special Mint Sets. These were made at the San Francisco Mint, and it was determined that this facility should assume responsibility for the proof coins, too. From 1992, until production of this coin type was suspended after 1998, collectors could purchase either clad or traditional coin silver proofs.

   Beginning in 1980 the quarters struck at Philadelphia began carrying a ‘P’ mintmark for the first time, and they still bear this letter today. Previous issues produced there carried no identifying mark.

   As early as 1934 the Washington Quarter underwent some modifications to improve its sharpness, and such actions have become very evident in recent decades. The U.S. Mint began lowering the overall relief of this coin in 1977, and subsequent changes in the 1980s and ‘90s resulted in coins that look quite distinctive when set alongside the quarters of 1932.

   The adoption of the 50 States Quarters program in 1999 saw the Washington portrait reduced to accommodate all of the statutory inscriptions previously placed on its reverse. It has not yet been determined what imagery the quarter dollar will carry once this program concludes in 2008, but it’s likely that George Washington will continue to appear in either the traditional bust by Flanagan or in some other artist’s interpretation. Old George, after all, is still The Father of His Country.