1940 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
In the current market, a 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar changes hands for roughly $6.55 at the low end and $70.78 at the top, and its metal content alone is worth $6.55 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1940 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $6.55 |
| Good (G-4) | $6.55 to $7.86 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $6.55 to $8.10 |
| Fine (F-12) | $6.55 to $8.49 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $6.55 to $9.04 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $7.24 to $10.22 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $8.91 to $12.58 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $12.26 to $17.30 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $19.50 to $27.53 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $50.13 to $70.78 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-13. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Today's value of the 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $6.55. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $70.78. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1940 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1940
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 6.205 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.17955 troy oz
The missing mint mark, explained
The 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (check the usual position for this series), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
What makes the 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
Every 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar contains 0.1795 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $6.55. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Without a firm mintage figure, the 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar trades on what actually turns up. Documented museum specimens give collectors a benchmark for authenticity and typical preservation.
Context adds the final layer to the 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
1940 United States 1/4 Dollar inscriptions & design
Obverse
LIBERTY; IN GOD WE TRUST; (date)
Washington head l.
Reverse
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; QUARTER DOLLAR
eagle standing on bundle of arrows, head l., wreath below
Measured 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
8 physically measured 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.205 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 6.189 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 6.239 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 6.205 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 6.282 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.4300 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.4299 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #7 | - | - | - | Breen.4301 |
| 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar #8 | - | - | - | Breen.4302 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1940 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $6.55 and $70.78 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.