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Double-Check Your Change for Wisconsin Quarters — They Could Be Worth Way More Than 25 Cents

A small minting error could yield a big return.

When the government began issuing quarters with designs representing each state, many people gathered ’em up with hopes of eventually selling them for much more than 25 cents each. That probably won’t be the case for at least a few more generations, but there is one particular state coin that could earn you a very pretty penny. 

Sometimes the minting process doesn’t go exactly as planned, and coins with mistakes are circulated. Those mistakes, however, can end up paying big dividends.

All the tail sides of Wisconsin quarters feature images of a dairy cow, a hunk of cheese, and an ear of corn. Typically, you’ll see one leaf on each side of the partially shucked corn, but a minting mistake added an extra line either above or below the left leaf, which makes it appear as though there’s a third leave above or below it. 

According to CoinTrackers, the higher “extra leaf” can be worth up to $300, while the lower one is worth up to $250. They don’t explain why there’s a $50 difference, but either way, that’s a nice chunk of change for an item initially valued at 25 cents. CoinTrackers also don’t specify how many of these coins were put into circulation, so there’s a real chance you’ve got one sitting in your purse, wallet, or coin jar

Imagine how many people have let one of these quarters go in a vending machine or at the laundromat. It’s yet another reason to give your coins quick once-over before using them. Otherwise, you’ll never know if your coin jar contains a small fortune.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, First For Women.

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