The Standing Liberty quarter packs the best key-date story of any 20th-century silver series: a 1916 first-year issue worth four figures in any grade, a famous 1918/7-S overdate, and a design flaw that makes high-grade late dates rarer than their mintages suggest. All Standing Liberty quarters (1916–1930) are 90% silver. Here is where the value sits.
Silver Content
| Spec | Standing Liberty Quarter |
|---|---|
| Years | 1916–1930 |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Weight | 6.25 g |
| Pure silver (ASW) | 0.1808 troy oz |
| Types | Type 1 (1916–1917): no stars below eagle, exposed breast · Type 2 (1917–1930): stars added, chain mail, recessed date from 1925 |
Common, worn examples (including the dateless Type 1s and slick late dates sold by the roll) trade at melt value: 0.1808 × the silver spot price. Our silver coin melt value guide does the same math for every 90% series — and our Barber coinage guides cover the designs this series replaced.
Key Dates and Varieties
- 1916 — the key. Only 52,000 struck; every genuine example lists in the four figures even in low grades, and dateless “1916” candidates must be certified (diagnostics: drapery fold, shield rivets, hair curl).
- 1918/7-S overdate — an 8 punched over a 7 on a San Francisco die; one of the great 20th-century varieties, strong in every grade.
- 1927-D and 1927-S — low mintages made scarcer by the recessed-date design’s wear pattern; problem-free mid-grade examples are genuinely tough.
- 1923-S — a semi-key that climbs fast with grade.
- Full Head (FH): mint-state coins showing Liberty’s complete hair and hairline detail earn the FH designation and large premiums — most Type 2 coins were struck too softly to qualify.
The Recessed-Date Problem
Before 1925 the date sat on a raised pedestal and wore away almost immediately — which is why so many Standing Liberty quarters are dateless today, and why full-date examples of common late-1920s issues still command premiums over the slick coins. From 1925 the Mint recessed the date into the design, improving survival. When sorting a group, separate full dates first: in this series, a readable date is half the value story.
Shop Standing Liberty and Classic Silver
- $1 Face Value 90% Silver Standing Liberty Quarters
- $1 Face Value 90% Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars — XF/AU
FAQ
Are Standing Liberty quarters silver?
Yes, all of them — 90% silver, 0.1808 troy ounces of pure silver per coin, from the 1916 first issue through the final 1930 striking.
What is the most valuable Standing Liberty quarter?
The 1916 in any condition, and the 1918/7-S overdate alongside it. In mint state, Full Head examples of the late-1920s dates are the condition rarities that top auction results.
How much is a dateless Standing Liberty quarter worth?
Melt value — the silver content is unaffected by the missing date. Dateless Type 1 coins (identifiable by the missing stars under the eagle) carry a tiny premium over Type 2 slicks because collectors use them as type examples.
Why are so many Standing Liberty quarters missing their dates?
The original design placed the date on a raised pedestal where circulation wore it smooth within a few years. The Mint recessed the date starting in 1925, which is why post-1925 dates survive legibly far more often.
Educational content only — not financial advice. Values are approximate and move with the silver market, grade, and certification.