1924 Standing Liberty Quarter : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

Sculptor Hermon Atkins MacNeil’s Standing Liberty Quarter could also be one of the vital aesthetically pleasing designs for a circulating American coin, however its hanging traits had been a continuing supply of frustration for the United States Mint. Amongst its flaws was the location of the date atop a raised step on the backside of the obverse, exposing this key identification characteristic to extreme put on. Inside a number of years of manufacturing, it was clear to the Treasury Division that “dateless” quarters had been going to flood the channels of commerce.

When an analogous challenge had performed out with James Earle Fraser’s Buffalo Nickel, the Mint lowered the mound component and positioned the denomination inside a sunken exergue. It was by no means in a position to repair the date challenge, nevertheless, and a few collectors would ultimately dip the cash in acid to convey up a top level view of the coin’s date.

The 1924 Standing Liberty Quarter can be the final challenge with this model of the obverse. In 1925, the Mint employed a repair much like the one undertaken with the reverse of the nickel, sinking the within of the step to guard the date with the raised parts surrounding it.

However, the Mint did attempt to modify the date barely in 1924, thinning the numerals, but it surely didn’t resolve the difficulty to the Mint’s satisfaction.

Understanding the Licensed Market of the 1924 Standing Liberty Quarter

2024 marks the centennial of the 1924 Standing Liberty Quarter, in addition to the thirty eighth 12 months of economic third-party grading. We’ve been instructed on quite a few events, by a number of inside sources, that key figures on the main grading companies as soon as believed that many of the gradable classic-era United States cash can be graded by the mid-to-late Nineteen Nineties.

Looking back, this pessimistic outlook didn’t account for the quite a few modifications to “market grading” requirements that might happen within the 2000s onward, or the apparent monetary incentives to cherrypick selection materials for regrading.

When evaluating the licensed inhabitants of NGC and PCGS cash from 2007, when vendor J.H. Cline printed the Fourth Version of Standing Liberty Quarters, to census information collected in November 2024, we see a big improve within the variety of high-end 1924 Standing Liberty Quarters. Most are concentrated on the MS66FH degree, which has seen a inhabitants improve of 200% at PCGS and 50% at NGC.

This resulted in a marked lower in costs realized at public sale. Beforehand promoting for $1,500 or extra, cash at this degree now go for $750 to $900. In fact, outliers stay at this degree and at MS67FH, the place a properly toned instance in a PCGS “Rattler” holder offered for MS68FH cash. The holder, the coin, and its assumed improve potential drove that enthusiastic worth.

Cash of the Simply Having Enjoyable Assortment

Two 1924 Standing Liberty Quarters from the wonderful Simply Having Enjoyable Assortment are value noting. The Standing Liberty Quarters from the Simply Having Enjoyable Assortment had been offered by Stack’s Bowers in August 2012 and generated a lot consideration. Each 1924 quarters featured wealthy “Wayte Raymond” firming alongside the periphery. The “finer” of the 2 graded PCGS MS68+, however lacked Full Head element. The Full Head coin graded PCGS MS67+FH. These connoisseur cash will demand premium costs every time provided.

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1924 Standing Liberty Quarter Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens

PCGS MS67FH was a pop-three coin in 2003. The primary PCGS MS67+FH was made earlier than late 2015.

High Inhabitants: PCGS MS67+FH (2, 11/2024), NGC MS68FH (4, 11/2024), and CAC MS67FH (7:0 stickered:graded, 11/2024).

• NGC MS68FH #3171262-001: As NGC MS67FH #1852166-001. Heritage Auctions, July 8, 2006, Lot 2311 – $6,325; “The Joseph C. Thomas Assortment, Half One” Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2009, Lot 568 – $7,475; NGC MS68FH #3171262-001. Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2009, Lot 1108 – $16,100. Upgraded by one level. Principally sensible with faint lilac firming. Spot above U of TRUST. Discoloration between 9 and a pair of.
• PCGS MS68+ CAC #31091643: “Simply Having Enjoyable Assortment,” Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2012, Lot 11420 – $22,500 Reserve Not Met; Stack’s Bowers, June 20, 2013, Lot 1267 – $16,450; Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2015, Lot 4115 – $20,562.50; Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2017, Lot 5630 – $17,625. Simply Having Enjoyable on insert. Good facilities with rainbow firming alongside the periphery.
• PCGS MS68 CAC #25393890: As NGC MS68 #583257-004. Heritage Auctions, April 19, 2012, Lot 4223 – $5,175. As PCGS MS68 CAC #25393890. Heritage Auctions, October 18, 2012, Lot 3627 – $6,462,50; “The James Swan Assortment of Standing Liberty Quarters,” Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2017, Lot 4098 – $7,050. Darkish crescent firming alongside the highest of the obverse.
• PCGS MS67+FH #29587698: As PCGS MS67. “The Simply Having Enjoyable Assortment,” Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2012, Lot 11386 – $14,100. Rainbow firming alongside the periphery. Darkish spot above T in TRUST.
• NGC MS67+FH CAC #3414900-002: Heritage Auctions, February 3, 2012, Lot 4038 – $11,500. Good.
• PCGS MS67FH CAC #4670068: Heritage Auctions, January 2025 – View. NEVADA on insert. Principally sensible with a faint coat of russet firming.
• PCGS MS67FH CAC #7003917: Stack’s Bowers, June 22, 2018, Lot 1339 – $24,000. Rattler. Flippantly toned.
• PCGS MS67FH #25605148: Heritage Auctions, June 9, 2016, Lot 4472 – $6,462.50. Scattered brown and gold firming on the obverse.
• PCGS MS67FH #25638360: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2016, Lot 5027 – $12,925. Thick band of rainbow firming alongside the periphery.
• PCGS MS67FH #25672588: Heritage Auctions, October 29, 2015, Lot 3237 – $14,100. Good.
• NGC MS67FH #3643086-001: As MS67FH #1716403-002. Heritage Auctions, March 24, 2005, Lot 5646 – $5,347.50; Heritage Auctions, July 10, 2014, Lot 3739 – $4,846.88. As NGC MS67FH #3643086-001. Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2015, Lot 4743 – $3,818.75. Periphery noticed.
• PCGS MS67FH #25360262: Heritage Auctions, February 4, 2014, Lot 5124 – $9,400. Good.
• PCGS MS67FH #25046782: Heritage Auctions, April 25, 2013, Lot 2620 – $9,987.50. Faint champagne firming.
• NGC MS67FH #3418128-001: Heritage Auctions, Might 1, 2012, Lot 23710 – $4,168.75. Apricot firming on the left obverse facet.
• PCGS MS67FH #25560550: Heritage Auctions, December 9, 2011, Lot 3780 – $8,050. Faint golden firming with colourful firming round Liberty’s head and higher defend.
• NGC MS67FH #3318113-004: Stack’s Bowers, January 4, 2011, Lot 607 – $4,312.50; Heritage Auctions, August 11, 2011, Lot 3884 – $4,312.50. Good. Vertical streak beneath eagle’s wing. Residue on the prime of the eagle’s wing and U.
• PCGS MS67FH #21083555: “The Western Hills Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, June 2, 2005, Lot 6107 – $9,200; “Malibu Assortment of Standing Liberty Quarters,” Stack’s Bowers, November 2010, Lot 1768 – $11,500. Walser on insert. Golden firming. Die crack from face to E. On the reverse, there are two small ticks underneath the eagle’s head.
• NGC MS67FH #1853298-007: Heritage Auctions, March 15, 2007, Lot 721 – $6,325; Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2009, Lot 569 – $4,600. Good.
• NGC MS67FH #1979091-006: Heritage Auctions, April 9, 2007, Lot 681 – $6,325; “The Scott Rudolph Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 2681 – $4,168.75.  Good.
• NGC MS67FH #1647283-002: Heritage Auctions, Might 9, 2007, Lot 583 – $4,887.50; Heritage Auctions, April 16, 2008, Lot 922 – $4,025; Heritage Auctions, June 26, 2008, Lot 915 – $4,096.99. Gentle dusting of tan firming. Darkish spot underneath B of LIBERTY.
• NGC MS67FH #1504708-016: As NGC MS67FH #960752-003. Heritage Auctions, Might 6, 2004, Lot 7126 – $5,520. Pop six, none finer, when provided. As NGC MS67FH #1504708-016. Heritage Auctions, February 15, 2007, Lot 3310 – $5,750. Russet firming alongside the highest of the obverse.
• PCGS MS67FH #2677198: “The St. Louis Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2003, Lot 6905 – $16,100. Pop 6, none finer, when provided. Purple, orange, and magenta firming alongside the periphery. Golden firming washes over determine.

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Design

Obverse:

Woman Liberty stands within the opening of a wall or parapet, her proper leg resting on the bottom and her left foot raised as if she is strolling ahead. Her lengthy flowing robe, draped loosely and wrapped round her proper arm, falls off the shoulders to disclose a series mail armor vest. Her left arm holds a round defend as if in a defensive posture; the defend shows the Union defend and a number of other concentric rings, together with a circle of raised dots or rivets close to the sting. Liberty’s proper arm is prolonged outward, resting on a portion of the wall, and her hand holds an olive department. Extra unfastened material covers the underside a part of the defend, extends throughout the entrance of Liberty, and ends beneath the arm on the highest of the wall.

The phrase LIBERTY arcs throughout the highest of the coin, the “L” partially lined by the olive department and “B” and “E” separated by Liberty’s head. Each wall sections show an oblong panel of horizontal stripes, with IN GOD on the prime of the left wall and WE TRVST equally situated on the fitting wall. 13 five-pointed stars kind two columns alongside the wall edges subsequent to the opening: seven to the left and 6 to the fitting (the highest left star follows the “D” in GOD). The step upon which Liberty stands shows the date in raised numerals. The designer’s preliminary M is to the fitting of the underside star in the fitting column. Contained in the flat rim is a concentric decorative ring consisting of two raised angular dots alternating with a brief raised bar; the ring is damaged by the step that shows the date 1924.

Reverse:

The middle of the reverse exhibits an eagle in flight, headed to the fitting, wings outstretched and raised. Contained in the flat rim is a concentric ring of UNITED STATES on the prime and QUARTER DOLLAR on the backside, with 5 five-pointed stars separating UNITED and QUARTER on the left and 5 five-pointed stars separating STATES and DOLLAR on the fitting. Three extra five-pointed stars are beneath the eagle, above QUARTER DOLLAR. OF AMERICA, in two traces and of smaller-sized letters, lies beneath UNITED STATES; beneath that textual content in even smaller letters is the motto E PLVRIBVS VNVM on two traces.

Edge:

The sting of the 1924 Standing Liberty Quarter is reeded.

Coin Specs

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