1946 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
Expect a 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar to trade between about $6.59 and $71.20, driven almost entirely by grade; the melt floor under every example is $6.59 (spot prices as of 2026-06-01) Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1946 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $6.59 |
| Good (G-4) | $6.59 to $7.91 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $6.59 to $8.15 |
| Fine (F-12) | $6.59 to $8.54 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $6.59 to $9.10 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $7.28 to $10.28 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $8.97 to $12.66 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $12.33 to $17.40 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $19.61 to $27.69 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $50.43 to $71.20 |
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.
How much is a 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $6.59. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $71.20. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1946 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1946
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 6.242 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.18062 troy oz
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1946 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 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
The 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar lacks precise production records, so its value rests on demonstrated rarity: how often examples surface at auction and how they compare to documented specimens.
Every 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar contains 0.1806 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $6.59. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Context adds the final layer to the 1946 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.
1946 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 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
7 physically measured 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.242 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 6.241 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 6.243 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 6.242 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 6.268 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.4334 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.4335 |
| 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar #7 | - | - | - | Breen.4332 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1946 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $6.59 and $71.20 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.