I found a "Standing Liberty" quarter in my wallet today!

[Normy]

I finished my workout at the gym and walked into the Publix grocery store next to the place to buy a bottle of water. As I was walking in, I pulled my wallet and inspected the contents, wondering if I needed to hit the ATM. There was a dime, a pair of pennys, and a quarter. The edge of the quarter was shiny, so I examined it and stopped in my tracks-

"What is this?" The first few seconds I thought it was a slug, or maybe one of those $1 Susan B. Anthony coins, but the longer I looked at it, the less I recognized it. I went home and looked it up- this is a coin from between 1917 and 1925. The problem with it is that the date is worn off, along with the edge detail. When I arrived at home, I did some research: This coin was minted between 1917 and 1924, due to the worn date. You see, the date wasn't "protected" by an edge that sticks out, as done with most modern coins, and because it is 90% soft silver, the date was worn off. 1925 quarters had the date cut down into the metal instead of raised, and as such are worth less.

This coin can be worth a LOT of money! In some instances, it could be worth upwards of $7000! This particular example is too worn to be worth more than its scrap silver value of about $5. There were a few that were made in 1917, but released in 1918 with the 1917 date covered over with 1918, and you can see the overstrike if you look carefully; these are worth between $35,000 and $300,000!

-The interesting thing about this coin is that the 1916 version showed "Lady Liberty" with an olive branch in one hand and a shield in the other, and this was thought to be a symbol to Europe that while we preferred peace...we were willing to go to war. In World War 1. The controversial part was the fact that Lady Liberty was also showing her left breast! Yes, just like Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe failure, this coin was minted with a bare female breast! A few months later, congress was forced to act on the public outcry [from religious groups, of course-], and the artist that designed the coin was tasked with redesigning it. Suddenly, Lady Liberty was now wearing chain mail instead of a bare right shoulder and breast, and this version of the coin continued until 1930.

The coin I found in my wallet, though severely worn, has a slight notch in the right shoulder, so it is not a 1916 coin.

I'm not a numismatist, or coin collector, but I DO inspect my coins and bills for 1. 1976 quarters, 2. Wheat pennies, and 3. Unusual coins like this. I have 25 1976 quarters, about 20 wheat pennies, dating back to 1917, and two real buffalo nickels. All of these coins have simply turned up in my wallet- none were purchased or asked for, they are all just random acquisitions.

Anyone know anything about Standing Liberty quarters? I've been told that there is a chemical test that can be done to determine the year on a coin with the date worn off such as this one.

N?

[wcc]

Can't help you with your question but that is a sweet find! I too inspect my coins and recently been saving the bicentennial coins. I have quite a few '64 quarters, wheat-back pennies, and '40s nickles, and now a good handful of those '76 coins. I just hold on to anything that looks out of the ordinary. Not a collector either just happened by these coins like you are doing.

[on2wheels52]

"This coin can be worth a LOT of money! In some instances, it could be worth upwards of $7000!"

Normy, how many standing liberties like that (with "The problem with it is that the date is worn off") do you want for $2/each? How many 1976 quarters do you want for .25 cents (plus shipping)? Wheat cents for 3 cents. Granted there's some coins that are worth something but you're barking up the wrong tree.
Jim

[Normy]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

"This coin can be worth a LOT of money! In some instances, it could be worth upwards of $7000!"

Normy, how many standing liberties like that (with "The problem with it is that the date is worn off") do you want for $2/each? How many 1976 quarters do you want for .25 cents (plus shipping)? Wheat cents for 3 cents. Granted there's some coins that are worth something but you're barking up the wrong tree.
Jim

I never thought it was worth more than the melt-down value, but I was interested in the coin. Especially when I found out that the original design had been compromised, so as to cover up the....tit!

N!

[Normy]

I just think it is fun to think about something this old that just winds up in your pocket. Where has that coin been? Where was it when we declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary in WW1? Where was it when we declared war on Germany, Japan, and Italy in WWII? How many people have farted on this coin while it was in their back pocket? This was obviously someone's collection for a few decades, and somehow it got out. The websites I've visited about this coin all say that typically during the 1950's....these disappeared into collections. The 1916 versions became very quick collectors items, since the government recalled them....due to the exposed tit. That is why a perfect uncirculated version of this coin can cost you $300,000 to own.

Again- I've done the research, my coin isn't worth the sixth dollar. But it intrigues me nonetheless-

N!

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Normy

I just think it is fun to think about something this old that just winds up in your pocket. Where has that coin been? Where was it when we declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary in WW1? Where was it when we declared war on Germany, Japan, and Italy in WWII? How many people have farted on this coin while it was in their back pocket? This was obviously someone's collection for a few decades, and somehow it got out. The websites I've visited about this coin all say that typically during the 1950's....these disappeared into collections. The 1916 versions became very quick collectors items, since the government recalled them....due to the exposed tit. That is why a perfect uncirculated version of this coin can cost you $300,000 to own.

Again- I've done the research, my coin isn't worth the sixth dollar. But it intrigues me nonetheless-

N!

Still cool, keep it.. Post some pix...

[mikester]

I save wheat pennies too - I think I have a 1918 or something...

[Tobra]

I have a lot of old coins, picked up a 1947 nickel the other day. Used to have couple of rolls of bicentennial quarters, gave them all away.

[Cdnone1]

Who carries coins in their wallet?

Steve