Accidental Early Release of 2019-W San Antonio Quarters Surprises Lucky Collector and PCGS

36

Even though the 2019 America the Beautiful series San Antonio Missions National Historical Park quarter-dollars were not scheduled to be released into circulation until August 26, a lucky collector in Texas unexpectedly discovered rolls of them — including two coveted West Point mint mark examples — a week early.

Two 2019-W San Antonio Missions quarters
The two Accidental Early Release 2019-W San Antonio quarters submitted to PCGS by a lucky collector in Texas. (Photo credit: PCGS).

He submitted the 2019-W San Antonio quarters to Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) for certification. PCGS has since given these two coins a special pedigree on the insert labels, Accidental Early Release, and graded both PCGS MS65.

The collector, identified only as "Michael V," a manager of a BBQ food truck company from Lewisville, Texas, told PCGS he obtained a box of quarters from a Wells Fargo Bank branch in nearby Grapevine on August 20, 2019. He was thrilled when he opened it and saw it contained fresh rolls of the new San Antonio quarters which were not scheduled to be released by the Federal Reserve until six days later.

"Michael told us he began collecting less than a year ago and was inspired to search for coins by watching roll-hunting videos on YouTube," said PCGS President Brett Charville. "He said he loves ‘the concept of getting more value from something you get from the bank.’ His pre-release discovery of these coins proves yet again that the hunt is always on."

The collector even made his own video recording as he started searching through the San Antonio quarter rolls.

"Oh, my God! It’s here! Oh, my God!," he exclaimed as he realized one of the quarters in the first roll he opened had a W mint mark on the obverse just below IN GOD WE TRUST.

In the background, his young daughter can be heard asking, "Did you win?" and sharing her father’s excitement.

 

Only two million West Point 2019 San Antonio quarters will be released into circulation.

As part of its Quarter Quest promotion, PCGS is still offering a reward for the first 2019-W San Antonio quarter found in circulation on or after the official release date of August 26, 2019. The first coin(s) to arrive in-house on that date will receive a First Discovery pedigree and the submitter is eligible to receive the $2,000 bounty. See www.PCGS.com/2019quarterquest for complete information and rules.

According to a news release on The United States Mint website, the Mint will open sales for products featuring the 2019 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in Texas on the official release date of August 26.

2019-W San Antonio Missions quarter
Steve Feltner, PCGS director of numismatic education and outreach, holds one of the two Accidental Early Release 2019-W San Antonio quarters. (Photo credit: PCGS.)

The obverse of the coins has the familiar design depicting President George Washington.

The reverse depicts elements of a Spanish Colonial Real with symbols of the early San Antonio missions: wheat symbolizes farming; arches and a bell to symbolize community; a lion representing Spanish cultural heritage; and a symbol of the San Antonio River representing irrigation methods and life-sustaining resources. Inscriptions are "SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS," "TEXAS," "2019," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

For information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, visit www.PCGS.com or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-8848.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

36 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
David OBrien

So the US Mint kind of screwed up? There is always room for human error!

Seth Riesling

Collectors in the Dallas, Texas area have an advantage finding these quarters in circulation since one of the 12 Federal Reserve Bank Districts in the U.S. is in Dallas, TX.

NumisdudeTX

Randall Banks

Congratulations on your find!

Richard

So he doesn’t get the $2000.00 or does he??

Richard

So is PCGS going to give him the two grand reward or not? And just give him the special label only??

Mike Cook

Some people are lucky, I have yet to find a W quarter up here in Mendocino County, in rural Northwest California. I’m in Redwood Valley, 150 miles northwest of a Federal Reserve Bank, the San Francisco one.

Larry

San Francisco mint is NOT one of the mints that the “W” quarters are being mixed in with either…only P & D mints….get some off E-bay

Mike Cook

Not for scalpers prices, I’m not. This whole thing hasn’t really spurred collecting, it’s just enriched those who care nothing about the hobby, or history, or beauty, they’re only interested in the $.

Larry

They definitely shoulda done things differently…

RON ACORD

I agree, this wasn’t done in a fair way in my opinion. Seems like the dealers ended up with most of them and want people to pay a fortune. I’ve seen graded ones advertised as high as 1,000.00.

Tim

Don’t give up hope. I read about the W quarter this week and found one the next day. I’m in North Idaho; not close to any Reserve Bank.

Mike

Thanks, I’m still trying! I have a lot of family in SE ID, Pocatello, Chubbuck, Idaho Falls, Arimo, Rexburg, Teton Valley, Preston, and one cousin over in Boise.

Vachon

I’m disappointed with this W-mint circulation release. I was hoping they’d get to pass hands a number of times before anyone found even one. It would’ve been nice to have even one modern coin have even nominal numismatic value in at least the higher circulated grades.

Like maybe this should’ve been a quiet release sometime in the middle of 2020 (still minted in 2019 of course) when collectors are busy searching for the new issues. See how long they would’ve stayed hidden in plain sight…

Mike Cook

I am, too, instead, the hoarders and dealers are snapping them all up, then selling them at exorbitant prices.

Dave Sparks

Interesting. But only valuable if you disregard the admonition “Buy the coin, not the holder”. After the official release, the coin itself will be indistinguishable from a normal release.

Randal

This would be a dream come true. Congratulations on a great find. Too bad the Mint messed up the schedule which will taint the series.

Mike

I guess I’ll just have to cherish my uncirculated S mint quarters.

Eric

How is this really possible when the third quarter has yet to be seen in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. My friends in Salt Lake City haven’t seen the quarter either. Also, why is it that all of the dealers have the West Point coins in stock for exuberant prices but yet they’re not in circulation…blows my mind

Allen pace

Well I just found one and it’s an excellent condition I’m just trying to get it graded

Mike Ginn

Man oh man!

RON ACORD

I still haven’t found any W’s here in Hartsville SC

Foxman69

No “W” quarters found yet in Western NY…not going to pay an outrageous price to get one, either…you knew the deck would be stacked with this program from the beginning…

Mike Cook

Exactly!

RON ACORD

I found my first W yesterday. The manager at BiLo told me they got their change from a bank in Charlotte so I traded some quarter rolls with them. Here in Hartsville SC, I’ve went through app. 50 rolls and found 1, people on eBay have stacks of them. Something isn’t right.

Chris Ghent

I found one here in mt. Pleasant,SC. It was the war in the Pacific qtr. Sent to pcgs and was an “early find” @ MS64.

Kevin

I live in Earlimart ca. And I found a America the beautiful 2019 quarter with the w mint mark.

Chas Barber

I am shocked, shocked the US Mint made a mistake……. In other news, I did get the American war Mem. @ bank 7 ‘d’ rolls! I got 2 W’s LOWELLS!!!! ….since then I went to bank & got 7 rolls of new 25c they were BLOCK ISLAND… now I went last week, 2 more shotgun wrapped newbies open the 2 up, Voyagers, so the bank$ are going BACKWARDS with the new issues. It seems that LOOMIS & others are pilfering the W’s…..after all it seem they mostly go to Oklahoma or Kansaas where some dude has rolls & rols or… Read more »

Howard Klein

Received a Lowell W quarter in change 2 weeks ago here in Ventura County, CA. Keep looking!

Brenda

I have found 2 rolls of the Lowell quarters and 9 rolls of the Guam quarters.

Chas Barber

Any “W”s??

RON ACORD

Just 1 here in Hartsville SC

Seth Riesling

I have found 4 Lowell “W” quarters in bank rolls, but none of the other 3 designs released so far.

NumisdudeTX

Chas Barber

Same for me only Lowell’s none after??? Direct to Mezak!!

John

the West Point quarter program bought a lot of new people into collecting that knew nothing and still don’t know much about coins thank God the reverse proof dollar is out to take over as the best collection the mint has put together in the last 50 years

BRITTANY RIGBY

I FOUND A 2019 W SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS QUARTER TODAY… IN REDWAY,CA
YIPPEE!!!!

Cindy

I found one of those quarters i n a quarter roll