Liberty Seated Quarter

Liberty Seated quarters span more than half a century, with drapery, arrows, rays, motto, weight, and branch-mint changes visible on the coins.

This page covers 1838–1891 issues from Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Carson City across eight catalog design types.

Core specifications

Issue period

1838–1891

Catalog mints

4

Reported catalog mintage

155,576,300

Composition

90% Silver - 10% Copper

Diameter

24.3 mm

Weight

Varies by type

A durable design repeatedly adapted

The seated Liberty motif survived monetary adjustments, branch-mint expansion, the Civil War, and postwar policy changes because the Mint modified rather than replaced it.

Arrows signaled weight changes, rays appeared briefly, and IN GOD WE TRUST arrived above the eagle. These features are practical signposts, not decorative trivia.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Liberty sits with shield and liberty pole; drapery at the elbow, arrows beside the date, and surrounding stars distinguish major types.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

An eagle with shield holds arrows and an olive branch. Rays and the motto above the eagle identify two major transition points.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

• P — Philadelphia: 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891; 110,509,258. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
• S — San Francisco: 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1888, 1891; 23,999,300. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• O — New Orleans: 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1847, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1891; 10,737,200. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• CC — Carson City: 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878; 10,330,542. Confirm the CC mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

Build by major type before attempting dates and mints. Carson City issues and unusual low-output records change the difficulty sharply.

• 1838 P — 466,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1853 P — 15,210,020. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1866 P - Unique — 1. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1870 CC — 8,340. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1873 CC — 4,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1891 S — 2,216,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 4 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 4 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

From one type coin to a complete catalog

• One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
• Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
• Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
• Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 114 issue records, 4 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

1. The Evolution of Liberty on U.S. Coins — United States Mint
2. Quarter: Designs and Programs — United States Mint
3. Liberty Seated Quarter category reference — PCGS CoinFacts