1949 United States 1/4 Dollar Value
A 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar is worth roughly $6.58 to $71.04 depending on its condition, while the raw metal inside it is valued at $6.58 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
Melt estimated at the US 0.900 silver standard.
1949 United States 1/4 Dollar value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $6.58 |
| Good (G-4) | $6.58 to $7.89 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $6.58 to $8.13 |
| Fine (F-12) | $6.58 to $8.52 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $6.58 to $9.08 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $7.27 to $10.26 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $8.95 to $12.63 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $12.30 to $17.37 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $19.57 to $27.63 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $50.32 to $71.04 |
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 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar starts around $6.58. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $71.04. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1949 United States 1/4 Dollar specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1949
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Silver
- Weight
- 6.228 g
- Diameter
- 24 mm
- Silver content
- 0.18021 troy oz
Why this coin has no mint mark
The 1949 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 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar valuable
Every 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar contains 0.1802 troy ounces of pure silver, currently worth $6.58. That intrinsic value is a hard floor under the price: no matter how worn the coin, the silver inside cannot be graded away.
Documented examples of the 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar in our reference database anchor what we know about this issue. Mintage records are incomplete, so collector demand and surviving population drive its market.
Few series carry the following that supports the 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. A coin that thousands of collectors are actively assembling into sets never lacks for a market.
1949 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 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar specimens
6 physically measured 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 6.228 g, 24 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #1 | 6.255 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #2 | 6.228 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #3 | 6.23 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #4 | 6.225 g | 24 mm | 6 h | KM.164 |
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #5 | - | - | - | Breen.4346 |
| 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar #6 | - | - | - | Breen.4345 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1949 United States 1/4 Dollar is valued between $6.58 and $71.04 as of 2026-06-13. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.