U.S. COIN REFERENCE · Standing Liberty quarter
Standing Liberty quarters: stars, recessed dates, and Full Head
The M beside the date is a designer’s initial, not a mintmark.
By SalarsNet · Reviewed October 5, 2026
The changes that create types
The first reverse has no stars below the eagle. A 1917 redesign adds three stars beneath it and changes Liberty’s clothing. Dates become recessed in 1925 to protect them from wear. Record both faces before naming a type; a dateless obverse may still preserve a useful reverse distinction.
Type references: PCGS Standing Liberty Quarter ↗
Find the right letter
D and S mintmarks appear to the left of the date on the obverse. The small M at the right is MacNeil’s initial. Photograph both areas to avoid confusing the designer mark with a mint. Inspect head detail and shield rivets, then apply the actual Full Head requirements if a designation is proposed.
Type references: PCGS Standing Liberty Quarter ↗
A worn date cannot choose a key
An illegible date remains illegible, even when the design resembles an expensive early issue. Record wear, strike, and surface problems across Liberty and the eagle, then select comparable sales with the same confirmed date, type, and condition. Full Head sales should remain separate until the specimen supports the designation.
Type references: PCGS Standing Liberty Quarter ↗
Selected reviewed issue records
These catalog standards describe the named issue, not a measured specimen. The selected records below do not cover every date, mint, strike, or die variety. Reported production is labeled separately from established mintage. Unknown standards and mintage remain visible; survival estimates and certified populations are separate research questions.
No issue-level specification or mintage records are published for this category yet. Verify the exact date, mint, strike, metal, and subtype in its reference before using a numerical standard.
References and review
Reference reviewed October 5, 2026. Historical facts and catalog standards need to match the exact issue; price comparisons should be researched at the time of valuation.