The Standing Liberty Quarter

Take some time to review every part of the Standing Liberty quarter. You may also check out the complete grading guidelines , or you could experiment with the "QuickGrade" picture-guided grading engine for Standing Liberty quarters.

Enough detail for FH designation

The middle denomination of the three "classical" coins that debuted in 1916 has been a collector favorite for generations. The Standing Liberty quarter may have had a design that did not stand up well to circulation in commerce, but when freshly minted, it had few equals in terms of the awe it inspired among coin enthusiasts. All good things must pass. After various design modifications and a host of problems faced by mint officials in producing fully-struck coins, the Standing Liberty quarter series was concluded, well before the Mercury dime or Walking Liberty half. The Washington quarter, first minted in 1932 in honor of George Washington's birth in 1732, would succeed it.

Standing Liberty quarters retained identical specifications as their predecessors. Consisting of ninety percent silver and ten percent copper, they continued the status quo of a ninety/ten ratio for circulating silver coinage. At 6.25 grams, this composition resulted in a precious metal content of .18084 troy ounces. The quarters were also 24.3mm in diameter, slightly under an inch.

1916 produced many numismatic rarities, and the Standing Liberty quarter series was no exception. The extremely low-mintage 1916 Standing Liberty quarter is undoubtedly the key to the series but is so difficult to obtain that collectors are often satisfied without including it. The secondary key to the set is the 1923-S. Not far behind in terms of desirability are the 1921-P, 1919-D, 1919-S, and to a slightly lesser degree, the 1920-D and 1924-D. This series is challenging for collectors because so many dates are scarce. Despite being a "recessed date," one with protected date details and a higher survival rate, the 1927-S is also a semi-key because its initial mintage was so low. Nearly every date in the series includes a low number of extant examples in high grades, and the prices tend to reflect this difficulty in locating acceptable specimens. The most popular variety, the 1918/7-S, is even rarer than the 1916. To complicate matters, while some collectors might be willing to retain a 1916 sans date in "about good" condition, there is little fun in purchasing an overdate variety that one cannot see ; a buyer is almost compelled to seek out examples in at least "very good" condition.

Except for a few well-circulated common dates from the type 3 cohort (1925-1930), every coin in the series carries a respectable value. Collecting Standing Liberty quarters takes effort and patience, but the rewards of completing the collection (perhaps minus the 1916) will be worth it. The series comes with peril. These coins suffered from weak strikes in several design elements. Liberty's head was plagued by poor striking, and this was the basis for "Full Head" quarters that pass muster. Furthermore, the shield center and its outlying rivets often appeared equivalent to a circulated grade the day the coin left the mint. The eagle's beast feathers, as well as Liberty's knee, were also frequently soft. The issue with the date wearing off prematurely on coins minted before 1925 was cruelly exacerbated by the condition that some coin dates had been minted with missing details. A collector navigating problems with coin strikes will be relieved to learn that authenticity is a lesser problem in this series. Though one should always closely examine one's coins and seek professional authentication for high-grade key dates, this series has not been inundated with fake coins to the extent of other series.

primary Standing Liberty quarter example image

Image Courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS.com).


Click on any grey box below to highlight aspects of the primary image


Primary Obverse Devices:
Using a type two coin as an example (type one is moderately different and type three is slightly modified), one may appreciate the personification of Liberty gracing the coin's obverse. She is wearing a chainmail and cloaked in a flowing gown as she steps through an opening in a gateway. Liberty also wears a helmet with three leaves extending upwards at the front. She showcases her strength and resolve.
Date, Mintmark, and Designer Initials:
The date, written in large numerals, is included on a platform at the six o'clock position of the coin's obverse. Standing Liberty quarters were minted from 1916 through 1930. There were no quarters minted in the year 1922, and none produced in 1931 before the design was switched to that of the Washington quarter in 1932. From the coin holder's viewpoint, the mintmark is included just above the top left edge of the date platform. Coins minted in Philadelphia do not bear a mintmark, and those minted in Denver or San Francisco show "D" or "S" mintmarks, respectively. On the opposite side of the date platform, a bit further to the right, one can find the letter "M," signifying the designer Hermon Atkins MacNeil.
Primary Reverse Devices:
The coin's reverse shows an eagle in mid-flight. This is also the basis for the logo of this website.
Mottoes:
The motto "Liberty" can be found in large letters across the top half of the obverse. Liberty implies the spirit of freedom, especially freedom from political oppression, and has been an American theme since the country's founding. Somewhat inconspicuously, the motto "E. Pluribus Unum" is located just above the coin's center on the reverse. It literally translates to "out of many, one" and represents the coming together of the original thirteen colonies into a single country during the nation's founding. "In God We Trust" is prominent on the coin's obverse. Half of the motto is displayed on each side of the gateway that Liberty emerges from. This motto became popular in the United States during the Civil War. There is some debate over whether the phrase has a purely religious meaning or if cultural and political implications are assumed as well.
Other Secondary Devices:
On the obverse Liberty is holding with her left hand a shield bearing the emblem of a federal shield. Liberty appears to be presenting it to the world as she pulls back that part of her gown that had obscured it. In her right hand, she holds a small olive branch. The shield and olive branch represent an offer of peace, yet a readiness for defense. The act of stepping through the gateway is a demonstration of strength. She does this as she steps onto a pedestal that doubles as a platform holding the coin's date. A decorative rim rounds the entire coin until it meets the edges of this platform. Both the obverse and reverse include exactly thirteen stars representing the original colonies.
Country and Denomination:
The coin's country of origin and denomination are featured on the coin's reverse. "United States of America" is written on the coin's upper half on three lines, with the uppermost curving along the rim. "Quarter Dollar" is written on the coin's bottom half on a single line along the rim.