2001 New York 50 State Quarter : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….
The 2001 New York State Quarter is a circulating commemorative coin that, by an awful twist of fate, became one of the most widely publicized and most popular issues in the 50 State Quarters series. The New York quarter was released on January 2, 2001, and became the first 50 States Quarters issue for that year. The coin, authorized by the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act of 1997 (link to PDF), includes a reverse depiction of the Statue of Liberty and a geographical outline of New York State.

In 1999, officials at the United States Mint invited then-Governor George Pataki (R) to compile a list of design themes for the New York quarter. The design candidates included a scene from the Battle of Saratoga, Henry Hudson and his sailing ship Half Moon, the New York Federal Building and the Statue of Liberty.

The coin was officially unveiled on January 8, 2001, during an event held at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York.

The New York State Quarter and 9/11

When the New York quarter hit circulation in early January 2001, it was well received by coin collectors and the general public. However, it was not a particularly special coin besides being the 11th issue of the 50 States Quarters series and the first release of the program’s third year.

This all changed on September 11, 2001, when the New York quarter took on a larger symbolic significance after the 9/11 attacks. By a stroke of unfortunate coincidence, the New York quarter was produced in 2001, and many people thus regarded the coin as an accidental yet poignant numismatic memorial to those we lost on September 11. That is when nearly 3,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center. Within weeks of the tragic event, private mints and other players in the secondary market seized on the swelling patriotic fervor by selling colorized New York quarters and other novelty products themed around the coin.

The hype surrounding the New York quarter has largely subsided since the early 2000s. However, there are still profiteers hawking patriotically themed, colorized, and gold-plated New York quarters. While such products may have marginal artistic value and are enjoyed by many people, altered versions of the 2001 New York 50 States Quarter should not be purchased as financial investments.

What Is the Value of a 2001 New York State Quarter?

The value of every 2001 New York State Quarter starts at 25¢, the stated value of the coin. The Philadelphia Mint struck 655,400,000 pieces for circulation, while the Denver Mint struck 619,640,000. Nearly all of these coins entered circulation within a few years of issue. Many (possibly millions) were saved by Americans caught up in the 50 State Quarters collecting craze. An overwhelming majority of these coins would have been saved in uncirculated condition.

Determining the numismatic value of an uncirculated 2001 New York State Quarter will require an understanding of raw (ungraded) and certified (professionally graded) coins.

A raw 2001 New York State Quarter in Mint State sells for a premium over the coin’s 25¢ face value. A fair market value of a 2001-P or 2001-D New York State Quarter in Choice to Gem uncirculated condition is between $1 and $3.00.

Certified coins from Philadelphia in Mint State will have been assigned a grade between MS60 and MS69. Perfect MS70 circulation strike coins, while technically possible, are practically unheard of. For the New York quarter, the typical grade for a Mint State coin is between MS63 and MS67, according to data published by CAC, NGC, and PCGS. MS68 coins offer the best value for the Set Registry collector, with coins selling for as little as $40 each on sites like eBay. The record price paid for an MS69 2001-P New York State Quarter is $2,585.

The grading services did not receive nearly as many Denver Mint examples as coins struck at Philadelphia, and the population data reflects that. Regardless, the difference in quality between coins struck at the two mints is minimal.

Proof coins in copper-nickel clad and 90% silver were struck at the San Francisco Mint. The silver coins are brighter than the clad ones and generally sell for more money. A PR70DCAM example in silver is worth about $30, while a coin in the same grade struck on a clad planchet is worth about $20.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

2001-P New York 50 State Quarter

Top Population: PCGS MS69 (13, 2/2025), NGC MS69 (1, 2/2025), and CAC N/A (2/2025).

• PCGS MS69 #72627398: Heritage, December 13, 2018, Lot 3394 – $720. PCGS top pop of 13 at time of auction. State Flag label.
• PCGS MS69 #72383878: “The Mile High Collection,” Heritage, January 8, 2017, Lot 9535 – $2,585. Record price for 2001-P. State Flag label.

2001-D New York 50 State Quarter

Top Population: PCGS MS68 (23, 8/2024), NGC MS68 (42, 8/2024), and CAC N/A (0:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).

• PCGS MS68 #21681480: Heritage, December 14, 2018, Lot 7522 – $660. PCGS top pop of 19 at time of auction.
• NGC MS68 #1793408-025: GreatCollections, July 7, 2013, Lot 122993 – $10.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, October 10, 2011, Lot 1914 – $32.
• NGC MS68 #1793408-037: Heritage, April 20, 2008, Lot 63268 – $126.50. NGC top pop of 41 at time of auction.
• PCGS MS68 #08864954: “Michael Fuller Collection,” Heritage, December 4, 2007, Lot 67512 – $1,092.50. PCGS top pop of 18 at time of auction. Michael Fuller Collection on label.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, February 9, 2005, Lot 1880 – $264.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, November 22, 2004, Lot 2038 – $286.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, September 13, 2004, Lot 1950 – $330.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, September 13, 2004, Lot 1951 – $286.
• NGC MS68: Teletrade, April 25, 2004, Lot 1482 – $264.

2001-S New York 50 State Quarter Silver Proof

Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (1,018, 8/2024), NGC PF70UCAM (1,865, 8/2024), and CAC N/A (0:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).

• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, August 6, 2024, Lot 285948256269 – $46.88.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, July 7, 2024, Lot 285582479926 – $47.92.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, June 25, 2024, Lot 364955729861 – $39.99.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 30, 2024, Lot 375450343839 – $36.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 28, 2024, Lot 166781225976 – $23.37.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 28, 2024, Lot 235578016580 – $36.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, May 26, 2024, Lot 355686919901 – Best Offer Accepted (listed at $39.99).
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 26, 2024, Lot 235575184199 – $34.99.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 24, 2024, Lot 375439062259 – $36.09.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 22, 2024, Lot 235569145671 – $30.14.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 20, 2024, Lot 235565813702 – $34.09.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, May 18, 2024, Lot 235563100119 – $35.

Several (but not all) of the dozen eBay results given here are from the same seller of clad Proofs above. Relatively common modern coins are treated like commodities on sites like eBay, with sellers often using the same “stock” photo of the coin in a holder for every listing of the type. This is why we have not reported cert numbers.

Again, prices realized from dedicated numismatic auctioneers follow – with cert numbers when available.

• NGC PF70UCAM: Teletrade, February 18, 2013, Lot 4142 – $27.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #26457733: GreatCollections, January 13, 2013, Lot 95473 – View. State Flag label.
• NGC PF70UCAM #1959476-006: GreatCollections, December 30, 2012, Lot 92209 – View.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #26417656: GreatCollections, November 25, 2012, Lot 85874 – View. State Flag label.
• NGC PF70UCAM: Teletrade, November 25, 2012, Lot 3059 – $53.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #26239568: GreatCollections, October 7, 2012, Lot 76881 – View. State Flag label.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #20531377: GreatCollections, September 16, 2012, Lot 70346 – View. State Flag label.
• NGC PF70UCAM #2283731-006: Heritage, September 25, 2012, Lot 24691 – $42.
• NGC PF70UCAM: Teletrade, September 10, 2012, Lot 2129 – $24.
• NGC PF70UCAM: Teletrade, September 10, 2012, Lot 2130 – $21.
• NGC PF70UCAM: Teletrade, August 20, 2012, Lot 2083 – $50.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #14485133: Heritage, December 27, 2009, Lot 28073 – $460.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #12271563: Heritage, February 17, 2008, Lot 24691 – $791.20.
• PCGS PR70DCAM #03696837: “Michael Fuller Collection,” Heritage, December 4, 2007, Lot 67542 – $1,380. Michael Fuller Collection on label.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: Teletrade, July 7, 2007, Lot 2745 – $1,176.

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Design

Obverse:

The obverse of the 2001 New York Quarter is the first to show a modified portrait of George Washington, a design by John Flanagan based on a 1786 plaster bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. Sculptor-engraver William Cousins designed the newer rendition of Washington, which remains the obverse design for the quarter for the duration of the America the Beautiful Quarter series.

The redesign was necessary in part to accommodate new inscriptions on the obverse that previously were featured on the reverse of the quarter; these obverse inscriptions include the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in a semi-circular arrangement over Washington’s head, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to his right, the word LIBERTY to his left, below his chin, and the denomination QUARTER DOLLAR along the bottom side of the rim, under the first president’s bust. The inscriptions QUARTER DOLLAR and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA were located on the reverse of Washington Quarters made from 1932 through 1998 but were relocated to the obverse to allow a wider reverse canvas area for the changing 50 States Quarter designs. Flanagan’s initials JF are in the dark area of the bust truncation, and the mintmark is to the right of Washington’s ponytail.

Reverse:

Daniel Carr designed the reverse of the New York Quarter, and it was engraved by Alfred Maletsky. The theme of the quarter is denoted in the reverse inscription as GATEWAY TO FREEDOM, which is superimposed on the upper right side of a geographical outline of New York State. The most prominent design element is the Statue of Liberty, which is seen standing tall before the outline of the Empire State.

The Statue of Liberty, which welcomed millions of European immigrants entering the United States via Ellis Island during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is a symbolic reference to the coin’s “Gateway to Freedom” theme. The 151-foot-tall statue was made by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi in the 1870s and shipped to the United States in 214 crates. It was then erected atop a 154-foot-tall pedestal.

In addition to the Statue of Liberty, other elements on the reverse of the New York Quarter include the date 2001 and the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM below the central design feature. At the top of the coin are the inscriptions NEW YORK and 1788, with the latter a reference to the year New York was admitted as the 11th state of the Union. Four stars along the left rim and seven stars running along the right rim collectively symbolize New York’s status as the nation’s 11th state. Under the left side of the New York state outline are Maletsky’s initials, AM.

Edge:

The edge of the 2001 New York State quarter is reeded.

Designers

American sculptor John Flanagan’s work in the medallic and metal arts ranks him as one of the best artists of his generation. For generations of coin collectors, he is best known for his Washington quarter design (View Designer’s Profile).

William Cousins worked at the Franklin Mint from 1967 through 1990, rising to be Director of Sculpture by his departure. He began working at the United States Mint as a sculptor-engraver in 1990 and retired in 2000.

Besides the 2001 New York and Rhode Island quarters, designer and medallist Daniel Carr has created many medals and tokens, often for organizations of a numismatic bent. He has also developed software to render his work digitally.

Sculptor Alfred Maletsky worked at the Franklin Mint from 1976 through 1992, joining the Mint as an engraver in 1993.

Coin Specifications

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