1934 25C Medium Motto FR2 认证号19118890, PCGS号5793

Tragically documents the sometimes questionable judgements of youth. As a budding numismatist, young Jon's attention turned to Washington Quarters. He studied, he saved, he persevered, and he got lucky - somehow managing to procure a 1934 Medium Motto Washington in mint state. A quarter with booming luster and no marks - surely an MS68 by today's standards. Then came the dawn of the video arcade and, in 1980, that most addictive of all games: "Centipede". Short of cash and desperate to break his own personal record - Jon pilfered his collection and headed to the arcade, in search of the glory and the peer group admiration that would surely be his. In his pocket was the coin you see here - now reduced to a FR02. In 2011, our now older and wiser numismatist rediscovered his old friend while searching through the junk silver bin of his employer at the behest of a somewhat eccentric but generally harmless client (me!). Upon recognition a tear welled in the corner of his eye and he could only mumble - "You could've been a top of the pop contender." (Names have not been changed to protect the guilty.)

Ron Guth

Three obverse hubs were used to produce 1934 Quarter Dollars, as follows:

Light Motto - aka Type of 1932 - IN GOD WE TRUST mushy and indistinct

Medium Motto - aka Type of 1935 - IN GOD WE TRUST stronger, but the letters are thin

Heavy Motto - aka Type of 1936 - IN GOD WE TRUST very strong, the top center of the W is higher than the left and right strokes (diagnostic)

Sources and/or recommended reading:
The Washington Quarters of 1934" by David W. Lange, NUMISMATIST, September 2003, pp. 22-23

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David Hall

Though the mintages are similar, the 1934 Washington quarter is not as easy to find in all grades as the 1935, 1936, and 1939. Gems examples have white frosty luster and often have varying degrees of original toning. Note that there are varieties which have "light" and "heavy" mottos and there is a double die obverse variety.

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Gordon Wrubel

Quickfinder Notes: The letters in the motto "In God We Trust" on the Medium Motto quarter are sharply defined. To distinguish this variety from the Heavy Motto variety, just look at the W in "We". The center peak is well BELOW The outer diagonals of that letter on the Medium Motto. On the much scarcer Heavy Motto variety, the center peak of the W extends ABOVE the outer diagonals of the letter.