You've probably seen it at the bottom of a cup holder or buried in a jar of loose change. It’s that familiar peach. The quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788 was actually the fourth coin released in the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program, and honestly, it changed the way people looked at their pockets. Before this, quarters were just boring Eagle-backs. Then 1999 hit, and suddenly everyone was a numismatist.
People always ask me if these are worth a fortune. Most aren't. But some definitely are.
The design is iconic. You have that giant peach—Georgia is the Peach State, obviously—centered within an outline of the state. There are sprigs of live oak on the sides and a banner that reads "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation." That’s the state motto. It’s a busy coin, but it works. The "1788" isn't the year it was minted; that's the year Georgia ratified the Constitution to become the fourth state in the Union. The "1999" at the bottom is the actual production year.
Why collectors still care about the 1999 Georgia quarter
Most people think "old" means "expensive." In the world of the quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788, that’s just not how it works. The U.S. Mint cranked these out by the hundreds of millions. Between the Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) mints, nearly 1 billion of these coins were shoved into circulation.
Because they were so common, a regular one you find in your change is usually worth exactly twenty-five cents. Maybe thirty cents if it’s exceptionally shiny.
But there’s a catch.
Condition is everything. If you have a Georgia quarter that looks like it was born yesterday—no scratches, no "bag marks" from hitting other coins, and a luster that makes your eyes squint—you might be looking at a "Mint State" (MS) grade. Collectors use a 70-point scale. A Georgia quarter graded MS68 or MS69 by a service like PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) can fetch hundreds, sometimes even over a thousand dollars at auction.
The "Spitting Peach" and other weird errors
Errors are where the real money lives. You see, the dies used to stamp these coins eventually wear out or crack. When a die cracks, the metal from the planchet (the blank coin) flows into that crack during the strike.
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One of the most famous mistakes on this specific coin is the "Spitting Peach" error.
It sounds fake, but it's very real. A small die crack forms near the center of the peach, making it look like a line is coming out of the fruit's "mouth" area. It’s a tiny detail. You usually need a magnifying glass to spot it. If you find a quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788 with this specific crack, you could be looking at a $10 to $50 bill depending on how clear the line is.
There are also "grease strikes." This happens when literal machinery grease gets into the die. It fills the nooks and crannies, so when the coin is stamped, some details don't show up. You might find a Georgia quarter where the "1788" is faint or the "Wisdom" banner is totally smooth. These are cool, though they usually don't command the massive prices people hope for.
Silver vs. Clad: Check your edges
If you’re digging through a collection, pay attention to the weight and the edge. Most Georgia quarters are "clad." That’s a fancy way of saying they are a sandwich of copper and nickel. If you look at the edge of the coin and see a brownish-copper stripe, it’s a standard clad coin.
However, the Mint also produced Silver Proof sets for collectors in 1999.
These are 90% silver. They weren't meant for circulation, but sometimes they get spent by accident. If the edge of your quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788 is solid silver-white with no copper stripe, drop everything. You’ve found a silver proof. These are instantly worth more just for their melt value, but as a collectible, they’re even better.
Silver proofs also have an "S" mint mark for San Francisco. But be careful—they also made clad proofs with an "S" mark. The "S" doesn't automatically mean it's silver. You have to check that edge.
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The Experimental Planchet Mystery
Now, if you want to talk about the "Holy Grail" of 1999 quarters, we have to talk about the experimental planchets. Before the State Quarter program really kicked off, the Mint was testing out different metal compositions. They were looking for a new alloy for the Sacagawea dollar that was about to be released.
Some Georgia quarters were accidentally struck on these experimental blanks.
These coins look weird. They have a yellowish, gold-tinted hue. They don’t have the copper stripe on the edge. They also weigh slightly more than a standard quarter. If you find a gold-colored quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788 that isn't just someone’s high school chemistry project (people love to plate coins in gold for fun), you might have a coin worth $5,000 or more.
Wait. Don't get too excited yet. Most "gold" quarters you see on eBay are just gold-plated. They are worth twenty-five cents. A real experimental planchet coin will have a very specific weight (usually around 5.9 to 6.3 grams) and won't have the typical "reeded" edge look of a plated coin.
Grading and Authenticity: Don't get scammed
I see it all the time on Etsy and eBay. People listing a "Super Rare 1999 Georgia Quarter" for $10,000. It’s almost always a scam. They take a beat-up, circulated coin and claim it’s a "rare error" because a letter looks slightly blurry.
Don't fall for it.
Real errors are recognized by major grading companies like NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) or PCGS. If you think you have something special, look at it under a 10x loupe. Is that "double lettering" actually a double strike, or is it just "machine doubling"? Machine doubling is common and happens when the die vibrates slightly. It adds zero value. True "doubled die" errors are much crisper and more distinct.
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The Georgia quarter doesn't have a widely recognized major Doubled Die Variety like the 1955 Penny or the 1969-S Penny. It’s mostly about condition and those weird die cracks.
What to do with your Georgia quarters right now
If you have a pile of these, here is the move. Sort them.
First, look for the "S" mint mark. If you find an "S," check the edge. No copper stripe? It’s silver. Put it in a protective flip immediately.
Second, look for the "Spitting Peach." Check the area right under the peach's stem and the center of the fruit. Anything that looks like a raised line of metal is a winner.
Third, check the luster. If the coin looks like it was just struck five minutes ago—even though it’s decades old—it might be worth sending in for professional grading. Just remember that grading costs money (usually $30-$50 plus shipping), so the coin needs to be near-perfect to justify the expense.
The quarter dollar 1999 Georgia 1788 is a piece of American history that literally everyone has held at some point. It represents a time when the whole country started looking at their change again. While most will only buy you a gumball, the hunt for that one-in-a-million error is what keeps the hobby alive.
Keep your eyes on the peach. You never know when a die crack or an experimental metal might be sitting in your pocket.
Actionable Steps for Holders
- Weight Check: Use a digital scale that measures to two decimal places. A standard clad quarter should be around 5.67 grams. If yours is significantly heavier or lighter, it's worth investigating.
- Magnification: Buy a 10x or 30x jeweler's loupe. Your naked eye isn't good enough to spot the die cracks that define the Spitting Peach or minor strike errors.
- Check the "S": Always flip the coin to the "heads" side. The mint mark is to the right of George Washington's ponytail. An "S" means it came from a special collector set.
- Avoid Cleaning: This is the golden rule. Never, ever scrub, polish, or "clean" a coin with chemicals or cloths. You will strip the original surface and destroy its numismatic value instantly. A dirty rare coin is worth way more than a shiny "cleaned" one.