Grading the Standing Liberty Quarter
The Standing Liberty quarter (1916-1930) is a beautiful 90% silver coin that is famously hard to find well struck. The key grading spot is Liberty's head: a fully detailed head earns a 'Full Head' (FH) bonus. On early coins the date wears off quickly because it sits up high, the Mint recessed the date in 1925 to fix that. The 1916 and the 1918/7-S are the famous rarities.
At a glance
| Years | 1916-1930 |
|---|---|
| Designer | Hermon A. MacNeil. |
| Denomination | Twenty-five cents |
| Specifications | Weight 6.25 g; diameter 24.3 mm; reeded edge. (6.25 g is the U.S. Mint standard for 90% silver quarters; PCGS CoinFacts lists 6.30 g.) |
Composition over time
| Period | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1916-1930 | 90% silver, 10% copper |
Major subtypes
| Subtype | Years |
|---|---|
| Type 1 (no stars below eagle) | 1916-1917 |
| Type 2 (chain-mail; three stars below eagle) | 1917-1930 |
| Type 2b / Type 3 (recessed date) | 1925-1930 |
Where wear shows first
- Liberty's head (the design's high point), a complete strike earns the Full Head (FH) designation
- Pre-1925 issues: the exposed, raised date, which wears flat quickly
Common weak-strike areas
- The series is notorious for weak strikes, especially on Liberty's head; 1916 coins are often softly struck there
Strike designations
Full Head (FH): rewards a complete strike on Liberty's head. PCGS publishes a Type 2 standard (three helmet leaves, a complete helmet outline, and a clear ear hole); NGC requires the three leaves fully visible, a complete hairline along Liberty's brow, and the ear indentation evident.
Common problems
- Date wear: pre-1925 dates sit on a raised surface and wear away; the 1925 recessed-date change fixed this
Counterfeit & alteration risks
- 1916 key date (lowest-mintage regular issue): the series key by date
- 1918/7-S overdate: the overall rarest coin in the series; commonly altered/added-detail, so authentication is advised
For the advanced grader
Because weak strikes are the series norm, separate a softly struck head from a worn one before judging FH. PCGS's Type 2 FH criteria (three helmet leaves, complete outline, open ear hole) differ from NGC's, which requires the three leaves fully visible, a complete brow hairline, and the ear indentation evident. Pre-1925 date wear means many coins are dateless or weak-dated; the 1918/7-S overdate is heavily authenticated due to its rarity.
Photographic examples
Click any image to enlarge and zoom. Where shown, obverse, reverse, and edge views are of the same coin and year.
Same coin: 1917 Type 1 Standing Liberty quarter, graded PCGS MS64 FH
Sources: Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) · Coin World
Evidence pages
Related terms
Weak Strike · Wear · Overdate · Counterfeit