Standing Liberty Quarter Values & Mintages

Grading tips

Liberty's head is rarely fully struck; "Full Head" (FH) coins command big premiums. The date must be readable for a coin to be worth much.

The redesign of 1917

The 1916 quarters were not released until January 1917. Later that year the design was changed, covering Liberty in a coat of mail and rearranging the reverse stars. Popular accounts blame public protest over the exposed breast, but there is little contemporary evidence of an outcry. MacNeil himself had asked for changes and Congress passed a special act to allow the revision, since designs normally could not be altered within 25 years.

The model for Liberty has been claimed by more than one woman, including Doris Doscher and Irene MacDowell. The record is not clear enough to settle the question.

What makes a Full Head coin

Grading services require a clear hairline along Liberty's face, a complete ear opening and the three leaves in her hair to be distinct. Very few coins meet the standard, especially from Denver and San Francisco in the early 1920s.

Frequently asked questions