1937 Washington Quarter (Silver Issues 1932-1964)
Doubled Die Obverse, FS-101
Key Features
The 1937 doubled die obverse is the second-scarcest major doubled die in the Washington quarter series (after the 1943 doubled die), showing pronounced doubling in the motto IN GOD WE TRUST and a lesser degree of doubling in the date. Most known examples are found in circulated grades, with well-preserved Mint State coins being genuinely rare and valuable. Because worthless machine doubling is common on Washington quarters generally, comparison against verified FS-101 diagnostics or certification by a major grading service is recommended before assuming a coin carries the premium variety. If you believe you have found one of these coins, contact Frostbyte Coins at frostbytecoins@gmail.com or through our YouTube channel @FrostbyteCoins â we can help guide you toward professional third-party authentication through PCGS or NGC before any sale or purchase.
Intriguing History
By 1937 the young Washington quarter series was five years old, and this Philadelphia issue carries one of its most significant error varieties: a doubled die obverse showing pronounced doubling in the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, second in rarity only to the famous 1943 doubled die. It was struck amid the sharp Recession of 1937-38, when a premature tightening of New Deal spending briefly reversed years of recovery from the Great Depression -- a reminder that even a modest 25-cent coin can carry the fingerprints of the mint's daily production pressures during hard economic times.