If you collect American coins, the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter occupies a place at the very top of the most desirable coins in the entire series. It is the key date of the Standing Liberty Quarter series, one of the most counterfeited coins in American numismatics, and a coin that commands serious money in any grade. At Clemson Coins, Currency, Bullion and Jewelry in Pendleton, SC, we buy Standing Liberty Quarters regularly, and the 1916 is always a coin we are excited to see come through the door.
The Standing Liberty Quarter Series
The Standing Liberty Quarter was designed by sculptor Hermon Atkins MacNeil and struck from 1916 through 1930. The design replaced the Barber Quarter, which had been in production since 1892. MacNeil created one of the most artistically ambitious designs in American coinage history, and the Standing Liberty Quarter is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coins ever struck by the United States Mint.
The obverse features a full-length portrait of Liberty standing in a gateway, her left hand holding a shield and her right hand holding an olive branch. The original 1916 and early 1917 Type 1 design depicted Liberty with a bare breast, which caused considerable public controversy. In 1917 the design was modified to add a coat of chainmail covering Liberty's chest, creating the Type 2 design that continued through the end of the series in 1930.
The reverse features a flying eagle in full flight, surrounded by thirteen stars. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appears above and QUARTER DOLLAR below. The design is dynamic and powerful, a deliberate departure from the static profiles that had dominated American coinage for decades.
Why 1916 Is the Key Date
The Standing Liberty Quarter was introduced in December 1916, very late in the year. As a result, the Philadelphia Mint struck only 52,000 coins before the year ended. There was no Denver or San Francisco production in 1916. The entire mintage of the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter is 52,000 coins from a single mint.
To put that number in perspective, the next lowest mintage in the entire Standing Liberty Quarter series is the 1918/17-S overdate, which is a variety rather than a regular issue. Among regular date issues, the 1923-S at 1,360,000 is the next scarcest. The 1916 is not just a key date. It is in a category entirely by itself.
Of those 52,000 coins, many were spent in circulation before collectors recognized the rarity. The coin was not widely saved when it was issued, which means the surviving population skews heavily toward circulated grades. PCGS and NGC combined have certified approximately 3,000 to 4,000 examples, making it genuinely rare in any grade and extremely rare in Mint State.
The Design: What to Look For
Obverse: Liberty stands facing right in a gateway flanked by two walls. She holds a shield in her left hand and holds an olive branch in her right hand. On the 1916 Type 1 design, Liberty's breast is exposed. LIBERTY appears above, the date appears below and IN GOD WE TRUST appears to the left and right. There is no mint mark on the 1916 issue as all coins were struck at Philadelphia.
Reverse: An eagle flies to the right in full flight, wings spread wide. Thirteen stars surround the eagle, seven to the left and six to the right. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs above and QUARTER DOLLAR below. E PLURIBUS UNUM appears in small letters above the eagle.
The Full Head designation, abbreviated FH on certified coins, refers to the completeness of Liberty's head on the obverse. On a fully struck coin, the helmet details, the hair above the ear, and the facial features are all sharp and complete. Full Head examples command significant premiums because the head is one of the first areas to show weakness in the strike and wear in circulation. A 1916 with Full Head in high Mint State grades is among the most valuable Standing Liberty Quarters in existence and valued at anywhere from $13,000 to $250,000.
How to Authenticate a 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter
The 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter is one of the most counterfeited coins in American numismatics. There are two primary types of fakes you will encounter, and every collector needs to know how to identify them.
Detecting a counterfeit 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter typically involves a combination of methods ranging from visual diagnostics to metallurgical tests. Because altered date coins are the most common fake, careful examination of the date is essential.
Primary ways to authenticate the coin include:
- Date Examination: The date on a genuine 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter appears at the bottom of the obverse below Liberty's feet. The digits should be sharp, evenly spaced, and consistent in depth with the surrounding design. On an altered coin, the date has been changed from a more common year, most often a 1917. Look for evidence of tooling, filling, or re-engraving around the date digits.
The easiest and most common way counterfeiters fake a rare 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter is by altering the date of a common 1917 Type 1 quarter. Because the 1916 and 1917 Type 1 quarters share the exact same design layouts (the bare breast on the obverse and no stars underneath the eagle on the reverse), scammers simply tool or "chisel" the "7" on a genuine 1917 coin to look like a "6".
- Design Type Verification: The 1916 is a Type 1 design with Liberty's bare breast visible. Any coin with the Type 2 design showing a coat of chainmail cannot be a genuine 1916. If someone offers you a 1916 with the Type 2 design, it is not genuine.
- Weight and Dimensions: Authentic Standing Liberty Quarters weigh exactly 6.25g and have a diameter of 24.3mm. Deviations in weight or thickness indicate a counterfeit. Normal wear slightly reduces those measurements on circulated examples.
- Metallurgical and Sound Testing: For complete counterfeits made of the wrong alloy, the ping test (genuine silver rings distinctly, while base metals produce a dull thud) and the magnet test (silver is non-magnetic) provide quick initial screening. A genuine coin will have 90-percent silver and 10-percent copper composition.
- Third-Party Professional Grading: Due to the coin's high value, the most reliable way to prevent fraud is to rely on authentication by major grading services like PCGS, NGC and CACG.
The Altered Date
The most common fake is a genuine Standing Liberty Quarter from a later year with the date altered to read 1916. The most frequently altered coins are 1917 Type 1 quarters, which share the same design as the 1916. A counterfeiter removes the 7 from the date and re-engraves or fills it to create the appearance of a 6.
Under a 10x loupe, an altered date almost always shows evidence of the work. The field around the altered digit will be disturbed. The depth of the altered digit may differ from the surrounding digits. The shape of the numeral may be slightly off compared to known genuine examples. On a genuine coin, all four date digits are consistent in depth, style, and surface texture.
Third-Party Certification
The most reliable protection against fakes is third-party certification by PCGS, NGC and CACG. All three services have examined thousands of 1916 Standing Liberty Quarters and their experts know every type of fake. A coin in a genuine PCGS, NGC and CACG holder has been authenticated and graded by professionals. If you are spending serious money on a 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter, buy certified.
Grading the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter
Standing Liberty Quarters are graded on the standard Sheldon scale from Poor-1 through Mint State-70. For the 1916 specifically, here is what to look for at each major grade level:
Good (G-4 to G-6): The design is visible but heavily worn. Liberty's figure shows as a flat outline. The date is readable. The rim is complete. This is among the more common grades for 1916 examples.
Very Good (VG-8 to VG-10): More detail visible in Liberty's gown and shield. The date is clear. Some design elements remain flat but the overall coin has more definition.
Fine (F-12 to F-15): Moderate wear with major design elements clear. Liberty's gown shows some fold detail. The eagle's feathers show partial definition.
Very Fine (VF-20 to VF-35): Light to moderate wear. Liberty's figure shows good detail. The shield and gown folds are clear. The eagle's feathers are well defined.
Extremely Fine (EF-40 to EF-45): Light wear on the high points only. Liberty's knee and the top of the shield show slight wear. The eagle's breast feathers show light wear.
About Uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58): Slight wear on the very highest points. Most of the original luster is present. AU-58 examples can be difficult to distinguish from Mint State without careful examination.
Mint State (MS-60 to MS-67): No wear. Graded on quality of strike, luster, and surface preservation. Full Head (FH) examples command significant premiums at all Mint State grades.
1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Values
Values for the 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter as of mid-2026. These are retail values for problem-free, original-surface coins. Cleaned, damaged, or altered coins are worth significantly less.
| Grade | Retail Value |
|---|---|
| G-4 | $4,000 to $5,000 |
| VG-8 | $5,000 to $6,000 |
| F-12 | $5,500 to $6,500 |
| VF-20 | $7,000 to $10,000 |
| VF-35 | $8,000 to $11,000 |
| EF-40 | $9,000 to $11,500 |
| AU-50 | $9,000 to $12,000 |
| AU-58 | $11,000 to $13,000 |
| MS-62 | $16,000 to $19,000 |
| MS-63 | $18,000 to $21,000 |
| MS-64 | $20,000 to $25,000 |
| MS-64 FH | $22,000 to $30,000 |
| MS-65 | $21,000 to $25,000 |
| MS-65 FH | $40,000 to $50,000 |
The Full Head Premium
The Full Head designation deserves special attention because it has such a dramatic effect on value. The helmet details, the hair above Liberty's ear, and the facial features must all be sharp and complete to qualify for the FH designation. On a weakly struck coin, these details merge together and show no definition. On a fully struck coin, each element is distinct and clearly defined.
For the 1916, Full Head examples are genuinely rare because strike quality varied and because the head is one of the first areas to show wear in circulation. A fully struck 1916 with complete head detail is a coin that collectors actively seek and pay substantial premiums to acquire.
Other Important Standing Liberty Quarter Dates
While the 1916 is the undisputed key date, the Standing Liberty Quarter series has several other important dates worth knowing:
1917 Type 1: The first year of regular production, sharing the original bare breast design with the 1916. Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco all struck Type 1 quarters in 1917. Worth $50 to $2,000 depending on mint and grade.
1918/17-S Overdate: One of the most famous overdates in American coinage. The 1918 date was punched over a 1917 date at the San Francisco Mint, leaving traces of the 7 visible under the 8. Worth $1,500 to $50,000+ depending on grade.
1921: Low mintage year from Philadelphia only. Worth $200 to $8,000 depending on grade.
1923-S: The lowest mintage regular issue after the 1916, with only 1,360,000 struck. Worth $200 to $10,000 depending on grade.
1927-S: Another scarce San Francisco issue. Worth $100 to $15,000 depending on grade.
Why Standing Liberty Quarters Are Worth Collecting
The Standing Liberty Quarter series ran for fifteen years and includes coins from the end of World War I through the beginning of the Great Depression. Every coin in the series is 90 percent silver, giving even common dates intrinsic metal value.
For collectors, the Standing Liberty Quarter series is one of the most visually rewarding to assemble. The design is bold and dynamic, the coins are large enough to display the detail well, and the series is varied enough to provide a genuine challenge. A complete set in circulated grades is achievable for most collectors. A complete set in Mint State with Full Head is a lifetime project that only the most dedicated and well-funded collectors accomplish.
The 1916 is the coin that defines the series. Every Standing Liberty Quarter collector wants one. Every advanced collector who has one treasures it.
Selling Your 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter in Upstate South Carolina
If you have a 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter to sell, whether raw or certified, circulated or Mint State, Clemson Coins, Currency, Bullion and Jewelry pays the most in Upstate South Carolina. We know this coin, we know the market, and we never lowball a genuine example.
We are located at 7611 HWY 76, Pendleton, SC 29670, just minutes from Clemson, Anderson, Greenville and Seneca. Call us at 864-502-0100 before you make the drive. We are happy to discuss your coin over the phone and give you a realistic sense of value.
Clemson Coins, Currency, Bullion and Jewelry. We Pay More, ALWAYS!
7611 HWY 76, Pendleton, SC 29670 · Call 864-502-0100
