Okay, it is time for something new. You’ve seen what we did there, right? However, by now we usually wrote articles about antique and vintage coins and banknotes, and we unjustifiably neglected the newer versions of coins.
Well, it is time to change that. One of the most interesting new-age coins is from sure the 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter. These beautiful coins were created to honor that place itself as well as its rich historical background.
The Salt River Bay is proclaimed as a Wildlife Reserve by Congress in 1992. The main purpose of this region is to conserve, safeguard, and communicate the nation’s natural and cultural heritage. So is there a better way to honor it than placing it on the coin as a daily reminder to appreciate and conserve nature?
In this article, we will share with you all that we discovered. Read on to find out more about the 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter value, design, current market prices, and more.
Let’s Start With The Short Background
Without any doubt, we can say that the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve is a living museum located on the Virgin Islands. What makes it so special is that it possesses an archeological and historical heritage that is more than 2,000 years old.
This dynamic ecosystem, known for supporting threatened and endangered species, was created and put under special observation by Congress in 1992.
In 2010, the United States Mint decade to honor national parks and other national sites by issuing 56 quarter-dollar coins. Each one features a different design depicting the most important national parks and other sites of interest. This unique program is called America the Beautiful. This quarter’s program became very attractive among collectors due to their beautiful designs. The Salt River Bay Quarter coin was released in circulation on 7.10.2020.
Also Read: Washington America The Beautiful Quarter Value: Can You Complete The Whole Set?
The main features of the Salt River Bay Quarter
So what does the Salt River Bay Quarter look like? Well, surprisingly this isn’t the common Quarter coin that we got used to, however, there are similarities with the old design.
On the obverse side of the coin, you’ll notice a very well-known image of George Washington facing right. An image occupies almost the entire coin surface surrounded by inscriptions and phrases that are omnipresent on all US coins.
The inscription “LIBERTY” is conveniently placed right in front of Washington’s head. While the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” is placed behind his neck, in the same lane. Below this phrase, you can find the minting mark. Above Washington’s head, you will notice the inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”, while on the bottom, near the rim, a denomination label is imprinted.
A fun fact is that some coins feature a tiny secret mark on the obverse side – “V75”. The main purpose of “V75” is to honor the 75th Anniversary of the United States Decisive victory in World War II.
What makes this coin special is the beautiful design of the reverse side. Here you can see an image representing the evolution of a red mangrove tree surrounded by saline water that grows into a mature tree from a tiny plant. This image draws attention to the park’s threatened mangrove forests which are at the same time vital for the reproduction of fragile animal species that live in this area.
Inscriptions on the reverse include “SALT RIVER BAY,” “U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,” “2020,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”. This unique coin marks the fifty-third out of fifty-six strikes in the United States Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program.
Other features of the 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter
The conventional 2020 Salt River Bay quarters that are produced for circulation are made from a regular copper-nickel-clad combination. Meanwhile, 2020 Quarters proofs are made from both copper-nickel clad compositions as well as silver proof coins which are sold for a higher price.
Keep in mind that proof pieces have greater depth than regular coins. It takes much more time to create them since they are struck upon special planchets. They’re manufactured exclusively for collecting so you won’t be able to come across them in circulation. All coins come with the reeded edge to prevent counterfeit.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter Value Guide
The conventional 2020 Quarters were minted in Philadelphia, West Point, and Denver Mints and those are the coins that you will come across in circulation. However, coins minted in San Francisco are only minted for numismatic purposes.
The 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter Program includes the following strikes:
- 2020-P coin from the Philadelphia Mint
- 2020-D coin from the Denver Mint
- 2020-W coin from West Point Mint
- 2020-S coin, S proof quarter coins, and S silver proof coins all from the San Francisco Mint
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter errors
Nothing goes smoothly in life, mistakes and errors are common in all aspects even in production. Even though chances for errors nowadays are largely reduced considering that technology evolved significantly, some will occur from time to time, so open your eyes well.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter as well comes with a wide variety of different minting errors. Here are some of the most common errors you can find.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter die breaks on the mangrove tree
A die crack error occurs when a die, after being exposed to immense pressure during the minting process, cracks, resulting in a small gap in the die. An error like this occurs in the 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter in the form of extra leaves that appear on the mangrove trees.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter feeder finger error
When the coin is struck and goes through a feeder’s finger it will end up with a very deep vertical impression. These impressions can be concave, straight, or angular, with a sharp angle on the corner of a feeder’s finger.
Feeder finger errors occur on both sides of the 2020 Quarter coin. They are easily noticeable on both sides of the Mangrove trees. It is believed that this is the most common error in this series and that it occurred in every Mint, so carefully inspect your coins.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter double die error
A double die, also called a hub doubling, is an error when it comes to the duplication of design elements on a working die. This occurs during the minting process due to a misalignment of the die. In the 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter series, both obverse and reverse doubled die varieties exist.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter strike-through error
A strike-through error occurs when another object gets between a blank and a die during the striking process. The object gets outlined into the blank’s surfaces, in most cases, those objects are metal shavings, staples, cloth, and grease. It is believed that there are a few examples of this error found in 2020 Salt River Bay Quarters.
2020 Salt River Bay Quarter
A broad strike error occurs when a coin is struck without the collar. When this happens a coin is formed without the rim and the part of the edge that shapes the coin. This is a very rare mechanical error. There are only a few coins with an error like this in the 2020 Salt River Bay series and most are sold.
Table of the most valuable Salt River Bay Quarter coins
Also Read: Analyzing the 2020 Bat Quarter Value: A Comprehensive Guide
What Determines The Value Of 2020 Salt River Bay Quarters?
Collecting coins is for sure one of the most fulfilling hobbies. The amount of satisfaction a collector feels when he finds the coin that he searched for so long is unimaginable. Finding that little treasure and completing the collection can truly give you that amazing feeling of gratification.
However, besides completing the collection, what also makes collectors hyped is knowing the actual value of their coins. The price validates your efforts and gives it a sense of worth in terms that you didn’t invest so much time in vain.
Not every coin has its value determined by the same factors. However, there are a few factors that you always need to take into consideration. Those are condition, grade, and demand. Now when it comes to coins that aren’t minted so long ago, the condition factor is not so crucial, considering that most of these coins are still in great shape.
Moreover, don’t forget that the fact your coin was circulated or not will impact the price in the end. Let’s see which factors and how will they impact the value of your 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter coin. Check the following list:
- Condition and grade – When you think about the value of any collectible item, you can’t forget to consider its current condition. Essentially, the grade is based on the condition, and at the same time grade determines its value. Logically, a coin with a perfect mint grade has a much higher value. Criteria that determine the grade are attractiveness, strike, luster, color, and preservation of the coin. Luckily 2020 Quarters were minted just three years ago, so many coins are still in great condition. However, it is recommendable to take the coin for grading.
- Mintage dictates rarity – Mintage or supply is yet another important factor that influences the value of your coin. Logically, anything that is easily available comes with lower prices, compared to something rare. The supply of coins on the market depends only on mintage. Luckily, this information is in most cases easily available on the internet, you can for instance check it here.
- Circulated or uncirculated – The factor that will significantly impact the value of the coin is if it originates from circulation or if it was never released in one. Coins from circulation tend to be pretty damaged, if we talk about some older series of coins. However, new series coins from circulation are less damaged and can still achieve great prices. Still, many collectors tend to collect coins that are uncirculated.
- Surviving population – When a coin becomes overly worn out and damaged its removed from circulation. The remained amount of that coin which is still in circulation is called surviving population. Logically, the lesser the surviving population of a coin is, the rarer it becomes, and this enhances its value significantly. If your coin has a surviving population that can be counted on the fingers, you scored a jackpot!
- Demand – Anything that is rare is in high demand, you all know that there is a direct relationship between the demand and price. If the coin is in great demand among the collectors a rise in the coin’s value is unavoidable. This usually happens in the case of old coins. Also, demand can go up when coin dealers run campaigns to increase the popularity of certain coins.
- Material – Some coins are much more valuable just because of the material they are made of. A coin that has a high content of gold or silver will always be pricier than those that aren’t made from precious metal. For example, the US silver coins that were minted before 1965, are 90 percent silver. Due to the high silver content, these coins are more valuable than their actual face value. That makes them a great long-term investment, considering that even if they lose on value, they can always be sold for melt value.
Learn how to grade your Quarter coin on your own
We are sure that many of the coins you possess in your collection are already graded. However, you for sure have some that don’t have grades yet, so you can try to grade them yourself. Well or at least figure out a reasonably actual worth of the coin.
Fortunately, Quarter coins are very popular so there are lots of sources where you can find different tips that can help you to determine a grade for it. In our previous article, we discussed the Sheldon Scale list, and we enlisted all the grades and descriptions there. However, in this article, we will mention only those grades that are interesting for collectors.
VG-8 Very Good – These Quarter coins show some signs of wear on both obverse and reverse sides. However, most design elements are visible, although surfaces are flattened. The obverse side is weak but the letters are still clear and complete and didn’t merge with the edge. The reverse side preserved the complete rim although some details and elements are indistinct or partially showing.
F-12 Fine – Quarters with this grade feature most or all of the design elements visible. That means all the letters, mint marks, phrases, and dates are here. On both sides, the rims are clear and sharp, there are no signs of merging with letters. Check the details on Washington’s hair, they must be visible. The details on the reverse side are also mostly showing, even though there may be some wear signs.
VF-20 Very Fine – The coin with this grade is in very good shape. You’ll notice some signs of wear only on the highest points of the details on both obverse and reverse sides. Keep in mind that many of the fine details must be visible. For instance, check Washington’s hair, a hairline on his forehead and the hair over the ears will be visible. The same goes for the details and inscription on the reverse side.
EF-40 Extra Fine – These quarters show very few signs of wear. In some cases, they may even have some mint luster left on the coin. All design elements are clear and sharp, and only the highest points on the quarter show signs of contact and wear. You will easily recognize coins with this grade since almost all of Washington’s hair and hairline are clear and sharp. The reverse side shows only the slightest signs of wear and most details are sharply defined.
AU-55 About Uncirculated – These quarters show only minor traces of wear or abrasions on the highest points. Also, the mint luster is almost complete. What is characteristical for this grade is that the only place where you’ll see signs of wear is on Washington’s hair. Look above his ears where slight wear signs will occur. The reverse is pretty much intact with almost complete mint luster.
MS-63 Mint State 63 – These coins do not show any signs of wear and tear whatsoever. There may be only minor hairline scratches, blemishes, or some other type of contact marks. A mint luster is complete on the obverse side, but it may show some abrasions from contact with other quarters during the production process. The same goes for the reverse side.
MS-65 Mint State 65 – Quarter with this grade features complete brilliant mint luster. There are only the slightest of contact marks present, and sometimes not even that. The obverse side may contain light and tiny scratches on Washington’s face or neck. Everything is the same on the reverse side, showing only the light contact marks on the highest of points. Both sides must have intact mint luster.
MS-67 Mint State 67- This is almost a perfect coin. The mint luster is complete and brilliant with no imperfections. There may be a few minor imperfections that are only visible under an 8x magnifying glass. Those minor imperfections can be located on Washington’s face or neck in the form of tiny hairline scratches. Mint luster is completely intact on both sides.
MS-69 Mint State Almost Perfect – These are uncirculated coins with perfect luster and no contact marks at all. The strike is sharp. This coin is almost perfect, but it may have some tiny flaws that can only be seen under an 8x magnification glass.
Where Can You Buy Or Sell 2020 Salt River Bay Quarter Coins?
When you invest so much time and money in your coin collection then it is only reasonable to invest as much effort in finding the best trading options. You can’t just go on the Internet and hop on the first web page that you see. This way you risk being scammed, which is unfortunately very common practice nowadays.
The only way to stay safe is to trade with reliable dealers, or on reliable places like auction houses, shops, and certified web platforms. We recommend you check some of these auction houses and reputable coin web pages – Heritage Auctions, NCG, PCGS, Coins For Sale, or Littleton Coin Company.
Also, don’t avoid web platforms like eBay, Etsy, and LiveAuctioneers. These places are great when you want to gather information about a particular coin. If you want to track the demand, supply, and price range, these are the best sources.
As always, our last piece of advice is that if you can, avoid trading coins here, especially if you are buying or selling particular coins that are very expensive. If you must trade here, because this is the only place that has the desired coin listed, then check the feedback! Before you do the purchase consult with the specialist.
FAQ
How hard it is to collect all coins from America The Beautiful Quarter program?
To be honest, very hard. There are 56 different quarter coins and due to low mintage, your odds of obtaining all 56 quarters and completing the collection are extremely unlikely. Especially if you planned on obtaining all from circulation.
Keep in mind that some specimens are minted only for numismatic purposes and you can only buy them in banks, US Mint facilities, and from other collectors. Oh, and naturally, these specimens can cost a lot more than you expected.
Why are there no 1975 Washington Quarters?
Not many people noticed that there is no regular Washington Quarter minted in 1975. That does not mean that there is no Quarter for this year. The main reason why this happened is the 1776-1976 Bicentennial coin program. Coins for this program were minted during the 1975 and 1976 years.
Let’s Recapitulate This
When you say that someone is a collector the only thing that comes to your mind is that he/she collects antique and vintage collectibles. The problem is that we do not comprehend that items that are recently produced can be valuable collectible items as well. Especially when it comes to coins, stamps, and banknotes.
If you are a newcomer in the world of numismatics, we highly recommend you expand your search fields and look for rare and valuable coins that were minted from the early 2000s and up. You’ll be surprised how many valuable coins are there.
Hopefully, this article answered some of the questions and helped you figure out how to handle your precious coins. In case you know some information that we didn’t mention here, please do not hesitate to share your opinions and advice in the comment section below.
