Different Finishes On ATB Quarters

Pictures would help, but most likely new dies and more worn dies. (I assuming these are all business strike quality and not a mix of business strikes and proofs.)

Here is a picture. Both are The Great Smokey Mountains ATB Quarters. There are lots of little scratches or dust particle looking things on them,but they are both in very nice condition. They are in plastic sleeves. I think that is dust and scratches on the sleeves. The one with the brushed look may appear to be a silver quarter, but it is not. I have some of those. This quarter is not silver around the edges. The edges have that pink band of ordinary quarters.

I bought both of these on ebay (2 different sellers). I asked the one with the brushed look as to why it was that way. Here was his response. It sounds like a good answer, but yet the other quarter ( both are The Great Smokey Mountain) looks different.

"Ok, the State proof Quarters have the high polished look on the Washington side. When they went to the ATB "America the Beautiful" Proof Quarters they changed to the "brushed" look on the Washington side. The Silver Proof of the ATB Quarters is the same way. Why they did this, only the Mint knows. Now, just to let you know, there is another style of ATB Quarters that are what is called "Enhanced" and the entire Washington side is that same brushed look. Hope this explains the difference in the coins."

@nonna
I think the enhanced ATB Quarters didn't start until 2017.

There is a clad proof Smokey Mtn. quarter also it looks just like the silver proof. Here is the specs. It is the easiest way to tell.


Category: America the Beautiful Quarters
Mint: San Francisco

Composition: Copper-Nickel Clad Copper

Weight: 5.6700g


Composition: Silver 90%

Weight: 6.2500g
ASW: 0.1808oz

I hope this is helpful.

Well, first off, you're going to want the coins in good condition.

After that, proof coins can be seen as more desirable, but if a collector needs a business strike, like for say a coin album, then the business strike would be the more desirable one.

I'd say, for the most part, proof coins are considered the preferred ones. I'd prefer to find a proof coin in my change than a business strike.