1854 Liberty Seated Quarter. Image: Stack’s Bowers / CoinWeek.
By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
Congress addressed the imbalance between gold and silver values with the Act of February 21, 1853, a law that reduced the weight of America’s subsidiary silver coinage. The weight of the Liberty Seated Quarter was reduced from 103.125 grains (6.6 grams) to 96.000 grains (6.22 grams).
To differentiate quarters with the new lower weight, the United States Mint added two design elements: arrows on either side of the date and rays on the reverse. The arrows had a nominal impact on the lifespan of the dies, but the same could not be said about the rays. To extend die life, this feature was removed for 1854. In 1854, 12,380,000 Liberty Seated Quarters were struck by the Philadelphia Mint, while 1.484 million were struck in New Orleans.
Many of these coins entered circulation to replace the heavier coins that had been removed from circulation by speculators, but millions were held in reserve as surplus. Much of this surplus coinage was exhausted by 1855.
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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS MS67 (8, 8/2024), NGC MS67 (3, 8/2024), and CAC MS67 (2:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).
PCGS MS67 CAC #06577560: Warren Mills and Paul Battanglia, August 2007; “The Eugene H. Gardner Collection,” Heritage Auctions, October 2014, Lot 98364; “The Bender Family Collection, Part I,” Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3792 – $36,000. Briggs 1-A. Dark gold, rose, and orange toning.
NGC MS67 #208114-075: “The Andre Dawson Collection of All-American Coins,” Heritage Auctions, September 1998, Lot 6661; Heritage Auctions, February 2000, Lot 6314; “The Larry H. Miller Collection”, Stack’s Bowers, December 17, 2020, Lot 1065 – $31,200.
PCGS MS67 CAC #38634049: “The James Mossman Collection,” January 2009, Lot 3745; As PCGS MS67 CAC #38634049. “The D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part VII,” Stack’s Bowers, March 20, 2020, Lot 7061 – $26,400. Pogue novelty insert. Beautifully toned in shades of cobalt, rose, and pewter grey.
PCGS MS67 #38634050: “The D. Brent Pogue Collection, Part VII,” Stack’s Bowers, March 20, 2020, Lot 7060 – $25,200. Briggs 2-B. Pogue novelty insert. Beautifully toned in shades of apricot, aquamarine, and champagne silver. Briggs 2-B.
PCGS MS67 CAC #6577560: Heritage Auctions, October 27, 2014 – $45,531.25. Apricot toning on the obverse and lime green toning on the reverse.
PCGS MS67 #81268399: As NGC MS67* #2037631-061. “The Eric P. Newman Collection, Part II,” Heritage Auctions, November 15, 2013, Lot 33370 – $38,187.50. Newman novelty insert. As PCGS MS67 #81268399. D.L. Hansen Dansco Collection. Since the Newman sale, this coin has been crossed over to PCGS. Imaged on PCGS CoinFacts. Antique gold, blue, and purple toning on both sides. Various die cracks including die crack on the reverse through QUAR and another from arrow tips to rims.
PCGS MS67 #08889301: Heritage Auctions, August 14, 2006, Lot 5179 – $34,500. Brilliant. Some characteristics of Briggs 2-B.
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1854 Liberty Seated Quarter, With Arrows Design
Obverse:
A full-length representation of Liberty in long, flowing robes sits on a rock, her head turned back to her right. Liberty’s left arm is bent and holds a pole topped by a Liberty cap. The right arm extends down at her side, hand supporting a Union shield with a curved banner displaying the word LIBERTY. The date is centered at the bottom, flanked on each side by a short arrowhead. Inside denticles along the raised rim, 13 six-pointed stars form a partial circle: seven to the left of Liberty, one between Liberty’s head and the Liberty cap, and five to the right of the cap.
Reverse:
The reverse features a centered left-facing eagle with extended but partly folded wings. The eagle clutches three arrows in its left claw and an olive branch in its right. A Union shield is placed over the chest. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA forms a concentric arc around the top two-thirds of the surface, inside the denticles circling the rim but beyond the ends of the rays. The denomination QUAR. DOL. is at the bottom, visually completing the circle of text.
Edge:
The edge of the 1854 Liberty Seated Quarter is reeded.
Coin Specifications
Country:
United States of America
Year of Issue:
1854
Denomination:
Quarter Dollar (25 Cents USD)
Mintmark:
None (Philadelphia)
Mintage:
12,380,000
Alloy:
.900 Silver, .100 Copper
Weight:
6.22 g
Diameter:
24.30 mm
Edge:
Reeded
OBV Designer:
Christian Gobrecht
REV Designer:
Christian Gobrecht
Quality:
Business Strike
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