Standing Liberty Quarter Mint Mark Collection

Celebrating the Centennial of the Standing Liberty silver Quarter! Silver Quarters were once part of American coinage but silver coins disappeared generations ago, and circulating silver Quarters are now a long-forgotten memory. This unique collection features one historic Standing Liberty Silver Quarter from each of the three Mints - Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco.

The Standing Liberty Silver Quarter was first minted in late 1916 and instantly became Americas most scandalous coin. The designer was famed sculptor Hermon A. MacNeil, and he used Broadway actress Irene MacDowell as the model for Lady Liberty. The design shows Liberty standing with a shield (symbolizing war) in one hand and an olive branch (symbolizing peace) in the other. This was an important image in 1916, because the U.S. had not yet joined World War I and it showed that the nation was peace-loving yet willing to fight for freedom. However, Liberty was shown with an exposed breast and the Society for the Suppression of Vice was very vocal about the coin being immoral and obscene. There was such an uproar that the U.S. Mint was forced to change the design in 1917 to cover Liberty's breast with a chain-mail shirt. The reverse of the coin shows a beautiful eagle in flight.

This was America Quarter from World War I through the Roaring Twenties and the start of the Great Depression. Each coin was struck in the beauty of .900 fine silver and is a genuine piece of American history. The last Standing Liberty Silver Quarter was made in 1930, the year after the stock market crash. It was replaced with the Washington Quarter in 1932 (no Quarters were made in 1931).

The Standing Liberty Silver Quarter disappeared from circulation 85 years ago, so the three coins in this collection are rarely seen even in the finest coin collections. The mintages were minuscule compared to the mintages of Quarters today. In fact, the total number of Standing Liberty Silver Quarters minted in the entire year of 1930 is about equal to the number of State Quarters minted every day! And most Standing Liberty Silver Quarters were worn out or damaged in circulation generations ago especially in the Great Depression when all coins were treasured leaving just a fraction in collectible quality like those in this collection. Finding one of each coveted mint mark is virtually impossible on your own. What's more, millions of silver coins were melted for the precious silver in 1979-80 when silver reached a record $50.35 an ounce leaving even fewer coins for todays collectors. The set of P, D & S Standing Liberty Silver Quarters is in a display box and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.