The 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter occupies a singular place in American numismatics. With a total mintage of just 24,214 pieces, including a small number struck as proofs for collectors, it remains one of the most coveted commemorative coins of the 19th century. Only an estimated 103 of these coins were ever struck in proof, including the final three specimens with commemorative numbers of 400, 1492, and 1892, all honoring the 400th anniversary of the expedition of Christopher Columbus. This 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter boasts a stunning PF64 grade from the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Now, the 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter is available online from JM Bullion.

Coin Highlights:

• Coin arrives in a protective plastic slab!
• Honors the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ expedition to the New World!
• Celebrates Queen Isabella I as the supporter of the mission!
• Issued in conjunction with the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago!
• Only 103 coins are known to have been struck!
• Contains 6.25 grams (.1808 troy oz) of actual silver content.
• Bears a grade of PF64 from the NGC.
• Obverse features a bust of Queen Isabella I of Spain.
• Reverse depicts a woman kneeling with a distaff and spindle, symbols of women’s industry.

This 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter is an impressive PF64 specimen. Both sides of the coin showcase muted, gray toning with a subdued, satin luster. The estimated original number of these coins was just 103, with many of the coins lost to time. 

In the obverse of the 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter, the design features a dignified left-facing portrait of Queen Isabella I of Castile, designed by sculptor Caroline Peddle and eventually refined for the coin by Charles E. Barber. Crowned and regal in bearing, the portrait captures the spirit of the monarch whose patronage made Columbus’s 1492 voyage possible. It was a deliberate and meaningful choice: honoring Isabella as a powerful female figure aligned well with the goals of the Board of Lady Managers, who sought to highlight women’s contributions to civilization and history.

For the reverse of the 1893 Proof Isabella Quarter, the design element captures the image of a woman kneeling in left-profile relief. Based on a sketch from Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan, the image includes a distaff in the woman’s left hand and a spindle in her right, both of which were intended to symbolize women’s industry.

The Isabella Quarter was struck to help fund the Board of Lady Managers at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the grand fair celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. It holds the distinction of being the first U.S. coin to bear the portrait of a foreign monarch, as well as the first commemorative quarter dollar ever issued by the United States Mint.

JM Bullion customer service can help you buy silver at 800-276-6508. Our team is also available online through our web chat and email address.