Three Collectors Splitting $2,000 Bounty for Submitting First 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarters for Grading by Professional Coin Grading Service
(Santa Ana, CA) – December 10, 2020 – Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) Quarter Quest 2020 continues with three winners tying as the first to submit the first examples of the 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Kansas Quarter for grading. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Kansas Quarter was released by the United States Mint on November 16, 2020 as the fifth new quarter design for the year and 55th overall of the America The Beautiful Quarter series that launched in 2010.
The three most recent winners of Quarter Quest 2020 include Karl P. of Maryland, Emery S. of Texas, and Larry B. of Texas. They will split a $2,000 prize three ways, with each receiving $667.
The United States Mint is striking only 2 million quarters of each design bearing the “W” mint mark of the West Point Mint facility in New York. Unlike most other issues from the America The Beautiful Quarter program, the United States Mint is not distributing examples of these “W” Quarters in any Proof Sets, Uncirculated Sets, or other United States Mint products. These coins can only be found in circulation, thus making it extraordinarily challenging for collectors to find these scarce coins.
In addition to the special mint mark, the 2020 W Quarters also carry a special one-year-only “V75” privy mark commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II in 1945. The privy mark, seen on all 10 million 2020-W Quarters, is found on the obverse of the coin, just to the left of President George Washington’s portrait.
“Collectors are really excited about finding and collecting the 2020-W Quarters,” says PCGS President Brett Charville. “These modern circulating rarities are sparking new interest in coin collecting. We want to help inspire more people to look for these coins and enjoy the hobby, and that’s why we launched PCGS Quarter Quest. Since 2019, we have awarded nearly $25,000 in prizes to coin collectors around the United States,” he remarks. “We’ve also unveiled several limited-edition special labels and pedigrees for the 2020-W Quarters.”
In addition to splitting the cash prize of $2,000 for the submitter(s) of the first 2020-W Quarter for each design, the winners will receive a unique PCGS First Discovery Label in the holder of their encapsulated special find. Two other limited-edition pedigrees are offered to all collectors who submit the new coins within the first weeks following the grading of the First Discovery specimens.
Qualifying 2020-W Quarters submitted within the first seven days of the PCGS First Discovery receive the PCGS First Week of Discovery pedigree. After that initial week, submissions made during the 45 days of the First Discovery Label receive an Early Find Label. With the discovery of the 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarters, the clock is already ticking for those who wish to pair specimens of their 2020-W Kansas Quarters with the other two limited-edition labels.
Karl P. of Maryland obtained his 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie Quarter by way of a private seller. “With COVID-19, it’s been difficult getting boxes of new coins from the bank these days,” he says. The multi-time Quarter Quest winner reports becoming a collector in 2019 because of Quarter Quest. “When I heard the United States Mint was releasing the W Quarters, I looked them up online and found out about PCGS Quarter Quest.” Karl began searching far and wide for W Quarters, submitting them with hopes of winning PCGS Quarter Quest prizes. “I attended a PCGS Luncheon at the 2020 Florida United Numismatists Show and had a great time there. PCGS is top-notch.”
Larry. B, a longtime collector from Texas who is enjoying the hobby during his retirement, bought his winning 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarter from an online auction company. “I kept checking every day for the 2020-W Quarter when I heard it had been released. I bought two with the hopes they would qualify for the PCGS First Week of Discovery pedigree,” he says. “Thankfully, the coins got to me quickly and I already had a PCGS submission form ready to go when they did.” He was privy to the 2020-W Quarter Quest announcements because he is a member of the PCGS Collectors Club. “I’ve been a club member for a few years now,” he adds. “I did pretty good on [getting his coins in on time for] Early Find labels.”
Emery S., also of Texas, similarly found his 2020-W Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarter by way of an internet auction firm. “I bought it right away,” he says, “but I really wasn’t expecting for it to become a First Discovery coin.” A collector since he was a kid, Emery says he is “tickled” that his piece was one of the three First Discovery coins. When he isn’t looking for 2020-W Quarters, he concentrates on collecting gold coins. “I bought some gold coins from the Saddle Ridge Hoard,” he adds. He’s also a fan of PCGS. “I’ve been a PCGS Collectors Club member for a while now and like using PCGS CoinFacts – there’s so much information there.”
For more information about PCGS 2020 Quarter Quest, including the latest information on bounties and to find out which pedigrees and prizes are available, or to find out how much time remains for PCGS First Week of Discovery and PCGS Early Find pedigrees, please visit www.pcgs.com/2020quarterquest. This page also provides information on terms and conditions for PCGS 2020 Quarter Quests, including rules and qualifications.
About Professional Coin Grading Service
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is the premier third-party coin and banknote grading company that was launched in 1986. Over nearly 35 years, PCGS has examined and certified over 45 million U.S. and world coins, banknotes, medals, and tokens with a combined value of more than $41.7 billion. For more information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, please visit www.PCGS.com or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-8848.
