The Standing Liberty quarter was minted from 1916 until 1930. The initial designs were sculpted by Hermon Atkins MacNeil.
The majority of the Standing Liberty Silver Quarters were produced and the Philadelphia Mint. Those produced as the Philadelphia mint will not have a mint mark. Additional quantities were produced by the San Francisco and Denver Mints. Those will display a corresponding “S” or “D” mint mark.
The obverse (front) of the coin features a portrait of the Lady Liberty Standing and facing to her left. A shield is in her left hand and an olive branch is in her right. The inscription “LIBERTY” is along the edge of the coin above the portrait. The minting date is inscribed in the center along the bottom edge.
The reverse design of the coin features an eagle in flight in the center. Surrounding the eagle around the top edge, the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” are inscribed. Along the bottom edge, the words “QUARTER DOLLAR” are inscribed. The inscription between the eagle’s wings is “E PLURIBUS UNUM”. Thirteen stars are displayed on the reverse of the Standing Liberty Silver Quarter represent the original colonies.
The Standing Liberty Silver Quarter has the same weight and size specifications as both the Washington and Barber silver quarters. It is made of the same 90% silver, 10% copper alloy and contains approximately 0.179 troy ounces of silver.
Many of the Standing Liberty Silver Quarters that will be found amongst junk silver will be in poor to cull condition. The condition of these coins will be fairly slick from circulation and will be missing many of the details that are displayed on coins in better condition that may have numismatic value. In many cases, even the dates may be partially or completely missing and worn away.