state quarter misprint...valuable?

So on the local news the other night they ran one of those “Your spare change may be worth big bucks and you don’t even know it!” segments. I was expecting more about the rare 1943 copper pennies, but instead they focused on how the mint’s 50 State Quarters program has taxed its facilities to the limits, and a higher number of misstamped coins are slipping through. These misprints, they said, are worth a lot–ones with improper alignment worth X, etc., and ones that have nothing printed on them at all worth about $150.

It just so happens that my wife brought home a month ago what I assumed was a “slug”–a quarter-sized metallic blank. We thought it was cool: b/c who the hell still uses slugs to fool vending machines?

Well, after seeing the exact same piece of metal on the news listed at $150, we were wondering if there was any truth to their report. Are these misstrikes/non-printed quarters worth more than $0.25?

A blank from the US Mint will still be “silver” over copper, same as a regular quarter. Take a look at yours.

A slug will normally be steel or aluminum, but not bi-metallic.

No, it’s definitely bi-metallic (“silver”-copper-"silver sandwich), same size and heft as a quarter, but the edges are not milled.

I wouldn’t think your blank (if it is completely blank) is worth even $0.25 since it can’t be used as coin. Misprints, on the other hand, could be worth significantly more depending on the rarity and condition. It’s been a while since I’ve been active in coin collecting, so I haven’t even heard that there were many mistakes out there for the new state quarters.

Just checked eBay, and they have a few quarters for auction (current bids as high as $2.00!). I even saw a “Blank State Quarter Planchet!!!” with the current bid of $5.99, so maybe your blank is worth something to someone. I still don’t think it will be something serious collectors will be trying to buy 10 years from now.

toad, since it’s bi-metalic, I would guess it’s a coin blank. The reply right before mine, which has since disappeared [how?], suggested going to a coin dealer. I agree; people collect anything. A coin dealer may onlt give you half of your reported $150 selling price [less if that was an asking price], but if you’re not a collector sell it.

Update:

Found this on a coin dealer site:

Quarter - Clad
$10. (flat edge)
$5. (raised rim–has been further prepared for printing)

I don’t recall if mine has a raised rim or not. In any event, hardly worth a mint. Just kinda cool.