Hermon A. MacNeil's Standing Liberty quarter changed quickly after its 1916 debut, then received a recessed date in 1925 to resist wear.
The catalog covers Type 1 and Type 2 issues from 1916–1930, including the 1918-S overdate variety.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1916–1930
- Catalog mints
- 3
- Reported catalog mintage
- 226,792,000
- Composition
- 90% Silver - 10% Copper
- Diameter
- 24.3 mm
- Weight
- 6.25 g
Beauty, controversy, and practical revision
The Standing Liberty quarter emerged from the early twentieth-century redesign movement with a full-length Liberty and a flying eagle.
The reverse and Liberty's protective mail changed in 1917. Weakly protected dates wore away, so the Mint recessed the date beginning in 1925.
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 stands in a gateway holding a shield and olive branch. The 1917 clothing revision and the 1925 recessed date are major identifiers.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
An eagle flies between stars; the Type 2 arrangement moves stars beneath the bird and adjusts the composition.
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: 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930; 157,316,000. 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: 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930; 40,042,000. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
- D — Denver: 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929; 29,434,000. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
Representative issues that explain the series
Learn Type 1, Type 2, and recessed-date formats before chasing Full Head strike quality or the 1918-S overdate.
- 1916 P — 52,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1917 P — 8,792,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1917 P — 13,880,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1918 S — 11,072,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1927 S — 396,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1930 S — 1,556,000. 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 1 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.
The issue catalog keeps all 1 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 37 issue records, 1 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- Quarter: Standing Liberty Design — United States Mint
- Standing Liberty Quarter category reference — PCGS CoinFacts