Standing Liberty Quarter

Designed by Hermon A. MacNeil, the 1916 to 1930 Standing Liberty quarter’s initial design included a bare-breasted Liberty which was considered to be too revealing for some. Many complaints poured in, forcing a design change in 1917 but the new design was at the other end of the spectrum. The designer dressed Liberty in a coat of mail instead of covering her breasts with the flowing material of her dress. The reverse was also re-designed in 1917 when the eagle was moved to the center and three of the thirteen stars were place under the bird. In 1925 the dates on the Standing Liberty were recessed so they would be resistant to wear.

The well-struck coins of this series are the most sought after and the focus is on Liberty’s head. The “Full Head” or those will great detail, coins bring high money but attention should be given to the rivets on the shield. Finding a coin with a Full Head and full rivets is a very valuable find. The Mintmarks D and S on this type that stand for Denver and San Francisco are on the front just to the left of and above the date. The M that is to the right of the date is the initial of the designer.

Without a doubt the key series for the collector is the 1916 coin. Only 52,000 were minted, making this quite rare. Collectors and the public hoarded this coin. A G4 grade 1916 Standing Liberty fetches $3,500 to date.