July 4 Privy Quarter Prices Fall as More Surface

One month after the U.S. Mint announced that 250,000 limited-edition July 4 privy mark quarters would enter circulation, secondary-market prices have fallen sharply as more examples are found and offered for sale.

In a sampling of eBay completed listings from June 30 through July 2, displayed amounts for the quarters ranged from $800 to $2,650. A separate July 5 sampling showed figures from $355 to $1,000. By July 24, a CoinNews review of 54 listings found prices ranging from $165 to $300.27, with most near $200.

The figures reflect selected eBay completed listings for single-coin lots and are intended to illustrate the broader downward trend. Multi-coin lots were excluded. Some listings were marked “or Best Offer,” and eBay does not disclose the accepted amount.

Interest also extended to rolls and multi-roll lots of 2026 Declaration of Independence quarters, which sellers promoted as opportunities to search for a July 4 privy-mark example.

More Discoveries Bring Prices Down

Because the quarters could not be ordered directly from the Mint, initial availability depended on how quickly they appeared in change, bank rolls and other circulating-coin sources. Early sellers faced relatively few competing listings. As additional quarters were discovered and offered, buyers gained more choices and prices moved steadily lower.

The July 24 sampling shows the extent of the change: all 54 prices were below the lowest figure recorded in the June 30–July 2 sample, and most clustered near $200.

Early Discoveries Drew Grading-Service Rewards

The limited release and uncertainty over distribution quickly attracted collectors and grading services. Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) announced an early-discovery reward for the first qualifying quarter submitted and made its America250 certification label available. Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) later launched its own search-and-reward program with special pedigrees for qualifying early finds. The promotions added to the initial excitement while relatively few examples had surfaced publicly.

Certified Coins Draw Active Bidding

Certified July 4 privy mark quarters continued to command substantially higher prices than uncertified examples, with active bidding across eBay auctions for coins graded by NGC or PCGS.

A CoinNews review identified 69 completed single-coin auctions from July 6 through July 24, with prices paid ranging from $727 to $3,039. Most lots drew dozens of bids, with individual totals reaching as high as 75. The sample included 64 NGC-graded coins and five graded by PCGS.

The highest result was $3,039 for an NGC MS67 that drew 42 bids. Another NGC MS67 brought $2,375, while an NGC MS65 reached $2,719. MS66 coins accounted for most of the activity (48 auctions). Results varied widely, though the latest sales were generally lower. Five MS66 examples sold July 24 for between $727 and $1,060, with bid totals ranging from 14 to 72.

These results indicate continued collector interest even as prices eased, along with clear premiums for certified coins, especially in higher grades.

Limited Quarters Released Into Circulation

The U.S. Mint announced June 23 that it would place 250,000 of the special quarters into circulation nationwide ahead of Independence Day. They were randomly mixed with standard Declaration of Independence quarters and distributed through banks and financial institutions.

Unlike standard examples struck at Philadelphia and Denver Mints, the limited-edition quarters carry no mint mark. A “JULY 4th” privy mark appears to the left of Thomas Jefferson’s portrait on the obverse. The coins carry the dual date 1776 ~ 2026 and share the same reverse as the standard Declaration of Independence quarter, depicting the Liberty Bell ringing with its familiar crack visible.

Declaration of Independence quarters entered circulation June 1 as the third of five one-year quarter designs marking America’s 250th anniversary. Through June, the Mint had produced 147.8 million (84.8 million Denver, 63 million Philadelphia), with additional production expected. The design followed the Mayflower Compact and Revolutionary War quarters, with U.S. Constitution and Gettysburg Address issues completing the program.

Silver Versions Await Future Auction

Separate from the circulating quarters, the Mint struck 250 oversized silver versions at the Philadelphia Mint on July 4. Each weighs 2.5 ounces, is composed of .999 fine silver, carries the same privy mark and lacks a mint mark.

The silver coins have plain edges individually numbered from 1 through 250 and are expected to be offered in a future U.S. Mint auction. With one produced for every 1,000 circulating privy quarters, they are considerably scarcer but are separate from the secondary-market listings examined here.