Rare 2022 Quarter Errors: A Treasure Hunt for Collectors

2022 is shaping up to be an exciting year for fans of U.S. Mint errors and varieties. The launch of the new American Women Quarters Program has already yielded several dramatic and valuable errors across all five issued designs. In this in-depth article, we‘ll explore these fascinating error coins and offer expert insights on how to find, authenticate, and value them.

American Women Quarters Program Overview

Authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, the American Women Quarters Program is a four-year initiative that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of notable women to the development and history of the United States. From 2022 through 2025, the U.S. Mint will issue up to five new reverse designs each year, each honoring a different woman (see table below).

Year	Honorees
2022	Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, Anna May Wong
2023	Bessie Coleman, Edith Kanaka‘ole, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idár, Maria Tallchief
2024	Patsy Takemoto Mink, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Pauli Murray, Zitkala-Ša
2025	TBD

All coins in the series will feature a common obverse with a refreshed portrait of George Washington designed by artist Laura Gardin Fraser, along with the inscriptions "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and "2022."

The American Women quarters are being issued in copper-nickel clad, silver clad, and gold varieties across all U.S. Mint facilities, with minting continuing through 2025 or until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that a sufficient quantity has been produced.

Circulating Quarter Specifications

• Composition: 8.33% nickel, 91.67% copper bonded to a pure copper core
• Diameter: 24.3 mm
• Thickness: 1.75 mm
• Weight: 5.67 grams

Projected Mintages

Total estimated production of American Women quarters across all five 2022 designs is 320-470 million uncirculated and 2.6-5.0 million proof coins. While exact mintage figures for each design aren‘t known, Coin World did report that the Mint struck 142.8 million Maya Angelou uncirculated quarters (across all facilities) before switching to the Sally Ride design in late June.

Notable 2022 Quarter Errors

The rush to get these new designs into production likely contributed to the rare minting mistakes that have delighted error collectors. Here are the most significant errors spotted so far across each reverse design:

Maya Angelou Quarter Errors

Source: eBay

The most dramatic errors found on the Maya Angelou quarters are the "Drooling George" varieties. These errors occur when a piece of the obverse die (Washington‘s portrait) breaks off and sticks to the reverse die, creating a blob or line protruding from Washington‘s mouth on the struck coins.

The location and severity of the die chip determines the appearance of the "drool." Prices have ranged from $500-1500 for minor examples up to $1900+ for the largest "drool" varieties.

Other notable errors include:

• A "Wart on Nose" die chip on Washington‘s profile
• A "Nesting Bird" die gouge that looks like a bird‘s beak holding a twig
• Various "strikethrough" errors caused by grease, debris, or die fill

One variety with two curved die gouges on Maya Angelou‘s face initially sparked excitement as a potential "double ear" error. However, die variety expert John Wexler determined these anomalies were caused by an abraded die rather than a true doubled die.

Dr. Sally Ride Quarter Errors

Source: PCGS CoinFacts

The most attention-grabbing error found on the Sally Ride quarters is the "Ghost Comet Tail" die clash. This dramatic curved line streaming from the back of Ride‘s neck is actually a mirror-image outline of George Washington‘s profile transferred from the obverse die.

Authentication and valuation experts like PCGS CoinFacts have confirmed the "Ghost Comet Tail" as a genuine Mint error, not post-mint damage. Auction records show prices ranging from $1000-2000 for examples in high Mint State grades.

Other interesting errors found on Sally Ride quarters include:

• Various "Drooling George" die chips (similar to Angelou errors)
• A doubled die obverse with clear doubling in LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST
• Well-defined die cracks extending from the rim to Sally Ride‘s helmet

Wilma Mankiller Quarter Errors

Source: eBay

The Wilma Mankiller issue wins the prize for "most dramatic error" with an astounding retained cud (die break) covering much of the upper left obverse. This massive die break obliterates most of the word LIBERTY and the rim, leaving a blob of distorted metal in its place.

This spectacular error made headlines in October 2022 when it sold for a staggering $8300 on eBay after a flurry of 78 bids. While most cud errors are more minor, any Wilma Mankiller quarter with a retained rim break is highly sought-after by collectors.

Other notable Wilma Mankiller quarter errors include:

• Stepped die cracks with vertical displacement on the reverse
• Coins weakly struck through grease or debris on the obverse and reverse
• Smaller reverse rim cuds at various clock positions

Error variety expert Ken Potter reported finding a dramatic obverse die chip on the Wilma Mankiller design just days after the Maya Angelou quarter was released – a sign of how quickly Mint workers were moving to change out dies between designs.

Nina Otero-Warren Quarter Errors

Source: Variety Vista

Errors found on the Nina Otero-Warren design so far include:

• A nice doubled die obverse with clear doubling in LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST
• "Drooling George" die chips (recurring error on all 2022 designs)
• "Flowers in Hair" die gouge behind Otero-Warren‘s head
• Assorted die cracks and strike throughs

The Nina Otero-Warren DDO is perhaps the most significant, with Coin World reporting prices as high as $800-1000 for choice uncirculated examples. This price level puts it on par with some of the most desirable doubled die quarters of the past 50 years, like the 1961 Proof and 1964-D/D varieties.

Anna May Wong Quarter Errors

The recently-released Anna May Wong quarters are still in the process of entering circulation, so error hunters have not yet had much time to examine them in quantity. It will be exciting to see what new die varieties and errors are discovered as more of these coins work their way into collector hands in the coming months.

Authenticating & Valuing 2022 Quarter Errors

As with any rare coin, authentication and accurate attribution are the keys to establishing value for 2022 error quarters. When examining a potential Mint error, it‘s important to first rule out any post-mint damage that can mimic the appearance of a genuine mistake.

"Coins can pick up a surprising amount of wear and tear in circulation, especially around the rims," says error coin expert Fred Weinberg. "Dings, scratches, and impact damage are often mistaken for Mint errors by new collectors."

Die varieties can also pose an authentication challenge, as the differences are sometimes subtle. "Studying genuine examples and die markers as catalogued by the major attribution services is essential," advises Ken Potter, author of several error coin encyclopedias. "Photos alone won‘t always suffice – in-hand examination by an expert may be needed."

For high-value errors, collectors should seek certification by a major third-party grading service like PCGS, NGC, ANACS or ICG. "Not only does a reputable grading cert ensure authenticity, it also locks in the coin‘s grade and makes it more liquid in the marketplace," explains Bob Shippee, Senior Numismatist at PCGS.

Valuation of 2022 quarter errors depends on the rarity of the specific die variety, the prominence of the error, and the grade or condition of the coin. To establish rarity, collectors can consult population reports from the grading services, which track the number of examples certified so far by variety, mint, and grade.

Price guides like PCGS CoinFacts and NGC Coin Explorer also publish recent auction records that can help estimate a coin‘s market value. However, because many 2022 error quarters are so new, pricing information is still limited. When no direct comparables are available, an expert‘s opinion may be needed to predict a coin‘s value.

Market Outlook & Investment Potential

Despite their scarcity and high current prices, the market outlook for 2022 quarter errors remains somewhat speculative. "Prices tend to spike in the early months after an error is first publicized," cautions PCGS President Don Willis. "But the long-term staying power depends on whether the design remains popular with collectors."

Comparing the American Women errors to past quarter varieties, like the 2004-D Wisconsin Extra Leaf, can provide some context for their investment potential. The Extra Leaf soared to $1500-2500 when initially discovered, then settled into a $350-500 range as more examples were found. Sixteen years later, top-pop Extra Leafs are pushing $2000 again as registry set collectors compete for finest-knowns.

Predicting the long-term trajectory of the 2022 errors is challenging, as their survival rates are still unknown. However, collectors can reasonably expect prices to soften for "minor" errors like die chips as more are discovered in circulation. Conversely, dramatic cuds and clearly doubled dies will likely maintain a premium level due to their instant eye appeal.

Ultimately, the wisest approach is to collect 2022 errors for their fascinating backstories, unique artistry, and the thrill of the hunt. "Buy the best you can afford, focus on eye appeal, and be choosy about quality," advises error dealer Mike Byers. "Well-preserved, high-grade errors will always find a collector audience." Whether they make you rich or not, owning a piece of Mint history is a reward in itself.

Tips for Cherry Picking 2022 Error Quarters

For collectors on a treasure hunt for 2022 quarter errors, old-school techniques like cherry picking rolls and pocket change can still be effective. However, with millions of each design being struck, some strategic searching can help improve the odds. Here are some tips:

• Start searching shortly after a new design is released, before errors have been widely publicized and picked out of circulation
• Focus on quarters from the first few weeks of production for each design when die problems are more likely
• Ask for quarter rolls from banks in major cities near U.S. Mint facilities (Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco)
• Search rolls as soon as possible; as more collectors hunt, the likelihood of finding errors decreases
• Use online maps and forums to track which regions of the country are receiving new quarter shipments
• Develop relationships with local bank tellers and let them know what you‘re looking for; offer a finder‘s fee for any errors they set aside

If roll searching seems too labor-intensive, consider focusing on a specific error variety and saving up to purchase a certified example from a dealer or auction. "Cherrypicking from photos is still a great way to find undervalued errors," says Bob Shippee. "Look for raw coins with clear diagnostics of rare errors and consider having them certified if you win them."

Conclusions

From "Drooling George" to "Ghost Comet Tail", the parade of intriguing errors already identified on 2022 quarters has put the numismatic community on high alert. As the American Women Quarters Program continues through 2025, collectors will be eagerly anticipating more such Mint mishaps on the forthcoming designs.

Yet the quarters are arguably just the "opening act" for an unprecedented period of new coin issues and potential errors ahead. Over the next decade, the U.S. Mint has plans to refresh designs on the nickel, dime, half dollar, and potentially the Lincoln cent – the first major changes to these denominations in decades.

All of this mintage activity creates an exciting environment for both new and seasoned error collectors. If the 2022 quarters are any indication, we can expect a bumper crop of rare and valuable die varieties, cuds, doubles, and other Mint mistakes as these new coins roll out. Participating in the great treasure hunt will be easier than ever, with online resources making it simple to share discoveries and crowdsource attributions.

Of course, only time will tell which of these new errors will prove to have lasting market value and desirability. But even if your 2022 quarter turns out to be a "common" variety, you‘ll still be holding a little piece of history in your hand – a tangible connection to the Mint‘s mission and the diversity of the American experience. And that‘s a priceless reward for any collector.

Resources & References

• Coin World – American Women Quarters Program
• U.S. Mint – Circulating Coins Production
• Numismatic News – 2022 Error Quarters Flood Market
• PCGS CoinFacts – 2022-P Maya Angelou Error Coin
• Variety Vista – Nina Otero-Warren Quarter Errors and Varieties
• Mint Error News – New Errors Surface on 2022 Women Quarters