2023 Quarters:The Five Designs, Their Stories and Value

What are the five 2023 quarters, and are they valuable?

Five stories on everyday money

The American Women Quarters program ran from 2022 through 2025, with five new reverse designs each year. The 2023 coins form its second annual group. Congress authorized the series through the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, bringing achievements in public life, culture, science and the arts onto a denomination people handle every day.

The five women honored in 2023 worked in very different fields: aviation, Hawaiian cultural preservation, human rights, journalism and ballet. Their designs use more than portraits. A pilot’s license date, a landscape, a pair of scales, words forming a garment and a dancer in motion each explain something about the person represented.

A Washington portrait with a long wait

The common front has its own story. Laura Gardin Fraser created this Washington portrait for the 1932 quarter competition. John Flanagan’s design was chosen then; Fraser’s portrait finally appeared on circulating quarters with the American Women series in 2022. The different-looking Washington on a 2023 coin is therefore expected.

These are separate from the earlier park designs covered in our National Park quarters guide. Identify the program before checking which designs you still need.

The shared front, mint marks and specifications

Read the front first. Washington faces right. The year appears at lower right, with the mint mark below it. The reverse identifies the woman honored.

P, D and S indicate the mint. P is Philadelphia, D is Denver and S is San Francisco. Regular coins distributed for circulation came from Philadelphia and Denver.

Finish and metal are separate questions. The mirrored fields on the illustrated Proof are different from an ordinary circulating coin’s surface. A Proof can be clad or silver, so appearance and the S alone cannot settle its composition.

Which woman is on the back of a 2023 quarter?

Match the reverse to the images below. Each card shows one of the year’s five themes; the front is shared, while the mint mark and finish distinguish individual issues.

2023 · American Women Quarters

5 designs

2023

Bessie Coleman

Coleman looks upward as she prepares for flight, with an airplane behind her.

The story

Coleman overcame barriers to train as a pilot in France. Her international pilot’s license, earned on June 15, 1921, became a landmark in aviation history. The quarter connects her portrait directly to that achievement.

What to check

Look for the airplane and the license date 6.15.1921 at the bottom. That date commemorates her achievement; the coin’s issue year is 2023 on the front.

2023

Edith Kanakaʻole

Kanakaʻole’s portrait and head lei merge with a sweeping Hawaiian landscape.

The story

A composer, chanter and kumu hula, Kanakaʻole helped preserve and teach Hawaiian knowledge. The flowing landscape links her cultural work to the land, rather than presenting an isolated portrait.

What to check

The prominent 25¢ denomination and Hawaiian inscription distinguish this reverse. The unusual lettering and landscape are part of the design, not evidence that the coin was struck incorrectly.

2023

Eleanor Roosevelt

Roosevelt appears beside scales, with a globe-like grid behind her.

The story

After serving as first lady, Roosevelt played a central role in the United Nations’ work on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The scales and globe express that international focus.

What to check

Look for the scales on the left and the human-rights inscription beneath the portrait. Compare the whole design, not just the familiar Roosevelt surname.

2023

Jovita Idar

Idar stands with clasped hands; words and names fill the outline of her clothing.

The story

A Mexican American journalist, educator and civil-rights advocate, Idar used writing and organizing to challenge discrimination. The inscriptions include causes and publications associated with her work, turning text into part of the portrait.

What to check

The broad open area around her is normal. The denomination and other inscriptions sit within the figure instead of forming the usual ring around the edge. This is the expected design, not a missing-letter error.

Value: an ordinary worn P or D Jovita Idar quarter starts at $0.25. Open space around the figure is part of the design, not a reason for a premium. Compare uncirculated coins and Proofs by their own mint, finish and condition.

2023

Maria Tallchief

Tallchief is shown in a balletic leap against a circular spotlight motif.

The story

Tallchief, an Osage ballerina, became a leading figure in American ballet. The design emphasizes performance and movement, while her Osage name beneath the English name recognizes her heritage.

What to check

Look for the outstretched legs, the name MARIA TALLCHIEF and the Osage lettering below it. Match those details before assuming unfamiliar characters are damaged or doubled lettering.

What to keep, and how to compare value

Start with the version, not an online asking price

A different reverse does not by itself make a 2023 quarter scarce. For ordinary worn P and D examples without an identified error, face value is the practical starting point. Collectors may pay more for attractive uncirculated coins or particular certified grades, but that does not establish a premium for every coin with the same date.

The set prices above come from the Mint’s dated launch announcements, checked October 15, 2026. They are included to distinguish product types, not to quote a current market price. For a sale decision, use recent completed sales and include fees in the comparison.

Why an S does not automatically mean silver

San Francisco coins appeared in collector roll products as well as Proof products. Clad and silver Proof sets are different products, even though both use S mint marks. Keep original packaging or certification details when available, and compare the coin to the correct issue. Silver color alone is not a composition test.

Do you need five coins or ten?

Five coins complete the designs for 2023. Choose one Coleman, Kanakaʻole, Roosevelt, Idar and Tallchief. Collecting each in both P and D makes a ten-coin group. Adding S issues, clad Proofs or silver Proofs is a separate collecting goal; it does not create more than five reverse themes.

Record the honoree, year, mint and finish for each coin. Keep the best example you find without polishing it. Our beginner’s collecting guide covers storage and record keeping, while the coin grading guide explains condition terminology.

Check normal design details before calling an error

The Idar reverse is intentionally sparse outside the figure. Coleman’s 1921 inscription is intentional, and Kanakaʻole’s 25¢ denomination is intentional. Compare both sides with the correct design before searching for a premium. Scratches, worn lettering or an unfamiliar portrait do not establish a mint error.

If a feature still differs clearly, photograph the complete obverse, reverse and the detail under even light. Do not clean the surface to make it stand out; see how to recognize cleaned coins. For a potentially significant find, follow the coin appraisal guide before paying for grading or accepting a high-value claim.

Five designs; value depends on the version

2023 quarters FAQ

References