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From the very
earliest days of the U.S. Mint, tradition held that all silver
coinage carry the same basic design (e.g. Draped Bust, Seated Liberty, etc.).
This all changed dramatically in 1916, when the
Dime, Quarter, and
Half Dollar began
touting new, distinctly different themes.
By far the most
notable achievement of the Mint service during the fiscal year 1916 was the
selection... of new designs for the dime, quarter dollar, and half dollar
pieces. For the first time in the history of our coinage are separate
designs for each of the three denominations, and their beauty and quality,
from a numismatic standpoint, have been highly praised by all having
expertise in such matters to whom they have been shown.
Mint Director Robert Woolley wrote of the historical change and captured the sentiments of the nation when
he included the above in his 1916 annual report.
The Standing
Liberty Quarter was designed by Hermon MacNeil, whose work was selected from
among many entries submitted during a public competition. During this
time, Europe remained gridlocked in a devastating conflict, generating news
headlines around the world. When the government announced plans
to replace the stoic
Barber
Quarter with a new design “…intended to typify
in a measure the awakening interest of the county to its own protection”,
the public cheered.
As the Great
War raged in far away places, MacNeil's depiction of Liberty holding an olive branch
and a shield was meant to signal America's interest in peace but readiness
to fight, if necessary. War bound or not, the Standing Liberty Quarter issued notice to the
Europeans that America stood watchful and ready.
US Coin
Values Advisor has completed
Coin Value Tables™ for the Standing Liberty Quarter,
reporting retail price trends over a long period of time for individual coins of
this magnificent series.
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Standing Liberty
Quarter
Specifications |
Diameter: |
Weight: |
Minted: |
Composition: |
Designer |
Edge: |
24.3 mm |
6.25 g |
1916-1930 |
.100 Cu .900
Ag |
Hermon MacNeil |
Reeded |
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Coin Photos courtesy of
Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA. |
The first Standing Liberty Quarters were struck on December 16, 1916.
Only 52,000 of them were made before the end of the year. Just a few
months into 1917, public disgust over Liberty’s bared breast sent Mint
engravers scurrying to the drafting board, where they quickly
devised a blouse to clothe Liberty’s offending anatomical attribute. Also, to ease the
mechanical aspects of the minting process, the eagle and stars were slightly repositioned
at the same time.
Beginning in 1925, the date was
recessed deeper into the coin to protect the numerals from premature wear.
Coin collectors crave Standing Liberty Quarters. Much attention is
directed to the amount of visible details in Liberty's head. While the
design was an aesthetic success, it also caused difficulties in striking,
despite attempts to correct the problem. Consequently, relatively few specimens
emerged from the Mint with full head details. Because of their
scarcity, particularly for certain dates, coin buyers are willing to pay
very high premiums for "Full Head" examples.
Notwithstanding the Full Head influence, there are at least four key dates
of the Standing Liberty Quarter series:
The 1916 and the 1918/7-S overdate are on everyone's list
of blue chippers. The 1923-S and 1927-S might surprise a few people.
The 1923-S has a long record of substantive value growth and deserves to be
listed here, while the 1927-S may be a sleeper just beginning to arise from
its slumber.
These key date Standing Liberty Quarters can often be found
at online coin auctions on
eBay. Because these coins have long been so popular with collectors,
many swindlers, past and present, have attempted to capitalize on this fact. Do not buy these rare coins, or any rare
coins for that matter, unless they've been certified by one of the grading services
trusted most by knowledgeable collectors: PCGS, NGC, ANACS, or ICG. There
are other grading services, but too many of them have less stringent
standards. Legions of inexperienced collectors have been burned
because of
them, so it is safer to stay away. You can
also trust highly reputable dealers, such as
Jakes Marketplace, to treat collectors fairly, whether their coins are certified or not.
The left
hand side of each "Sales Box" is value trend data over a very long period of
time for the date headlined, in G-4 condition. The percent annual
increase is computed for comparative purposes. If no coin shows up on
the right hand side, this means at the moment, no example of the date is for
sale on eBay. Check back later. The coin pictured for
sale in the right hand side (if any) is not necessarily an example in G-4
condition.
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1916
Stand Lib Quarter
Condition: G-4
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1918/7-S
Stand Lib Quarter
Condition: G-4
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Value Trends
1950: $17.50
1980: $600
1995: $1000
2003: $2000
2007: $2750
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Value Trends
1950: $25.00
1980: $475
1995: $1000
2003: $1500
2007: $1750
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% Annual Increase
Since 1950 =
9.28%
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% Annual Increase
Since 1950 =
7.74%
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Half Cents
1793-1857 |
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Large Cents
1793-1857 |
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Flying Eagle Cents
1856-1858 |
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Indian Head Cents
1859-1909 |
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Lincoln Cents
1909-present |
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Two and Three
Cents 1851-1889 |
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Shield Nickels
1866-1883 |
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Liberty Nickels
1883-1913 |
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Buffalo Nickels
1913-1938 |
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Jefferson Nickels 1938-present |
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Early Half Dimes
1792-1837 |
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Seated Liberty Half Dimes 1837-1873 |
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Early Dimes
1796-1837 |
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Seated Liberty Dimes 1837-1891 |
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Barber Dimes
1892-1916 |
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Mercury Dimes
1916-1945 |
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Roosevelt Dimes 1946-present |
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Twenty Cents
1875-1878 |
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Early Quarters
1796-1838 |
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Seated Liberty Quarters 1838-1891 |
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Barber Quarters
1892-1916 |
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Standing Liberty
Quarters 1916-1930 |
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Washington
Quarters 1932-present |
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Early Half Dollars
1794-1839 |
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Seated Liberty
Half Dollars 1839-1891 |
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Barber Half
Dollars 1892-1915 |
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Walking Liberty
Half Dollars 1916-1947 |
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Franklin Half
Dollars 1948-1963 |
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Kennedy Half Dollars 1964-Present |
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Early Dollars
1794-1804 |
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Gobrecht Dollars 1836-1839 |
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Seated Liberty Dollars 1840-1873 |
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Trade Dollars
1873-1885 |
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Morgan Dollars
1878-1921 |
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Peace Dollars
1921-1935 |
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Eisenhower Dollars
1971-1978 |
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Anthony Dollars
1979-1981,1999 |
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Sacagawea Dollars
2000-present |
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Presidential Dollars
2007-present |
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Gold Dollars
1849-1889 |
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Early Quarter Eagles 1796-1834 |
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Classic Head Quarter Eagles 1834-1839 |
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Coronet Quarter
Eagles 1840-1907 |
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Indian Head
Quarter Eagles 1908-1929 |
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Three Dollar Gold
1854-1889 |
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Early Half Eagles
1795-1834 |
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Classic Head Half Eagles 1834-1838 |
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Coronet Half
Eagles 1839-1908 |
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Indian Head Half
Eagles 1908-1929 |
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Early Eagles
1795-1804 |
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Coronet Eagles
1838-1907 |
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Indian Head Eagles
1907-1933 |
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Coronet Double
Eagles 1849-1907 |
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St-Gaudens Double
Eagles 1907-1933 |
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The Standing Liberty Quarter on the left is
absent of full detail in the head. Contrast this to the quarter on the
right, where all head details are present. Both coins are Type 1
Standing Liberty Quarter high grade Mint State Uncirculated specimens.
To qualify for a Full Head designation, Type 1 quarters must have full
details in Liberty's hair, a complete hairline along Liberty's face, a
visible eyebrow and a rounded cheek. Type 2 Full Head quarters must
have three well defined leaves in hair, a complete hairline along brow and
across face, and a small indentation at ear. The cause of the the
missing head details is due to insufficient metal flow into the recesses of
the die, influenced by design elements directly opposite on the reverse also
competing for metal flow from the planchet. |
