Quarters have played a major role in the coinage of the United States since the earliest days of the US Mint. There have been countless different types of these coins minted over the years, but the Seated Liberty is one of the most popular types of quarters. Minted from the middle stages of the 19th century through to just shy of the 20th century, the Seated Liberty was being circulated during some of the most tense times in American history.
Most every type of Seated Liberty is highly valuable in the eyes of collectors, but it is the special edition and rare versions that really top the price charts. If you are able to find one of these rarer versions in excellent condition, the price of the coin can easily stretch to 4-figures and beyond. For people who are attempting to put together a complete collection of quarters, you cannot do so without the Seated Liberty.
As is the case with any series of coins that is over 100 years old, the price you are going to be asked to pay for a coin is something that is not so cut and dry. Things that you have to take into consideration include not only the year the coin was minted, but also its condition. In addition to that, you must also take note of any special markings that may set the coin apart from others. Generally, Seated Liberties have starting prices that range from roughly $15 to $20. This, of course, is all dependent on the condition of the coin as well as its rarity.
In addition to the condition and year, it is important that you also pay attention to the type of Seated Liberty. Because multiple different types of these coins were minted most years, you will find that the difference between a regular seated liberty and a “CC” Seated Liberty are quite drastic.
Determining which Seated Liberties are highly sought after and which ones are often overlooked is not such a simple task. This is so because coins of this age seem to have no rhyme or reason behind why one coin is incredibly valuable and another isn’t. With regard to Seated Liberties, the difference in price points for coins from the same year will most often come down to the type of coin you own. While the 1877 Seated Liberty may sell for less than $20 in poor condition, the “CC” Seated Liberty from the same year will sell for almost $30 in the same condition. As the coin’s condition improves, the disparity in price only seems to intensify.
Condition does mean a lot to collectors, but when it comes down to it condition is not always the most important aspect of Seated Liberties. You will find many of the older versions of the coin can only be found in poor shape, but they will still sell for a pretty penny.
The future value of a coin is something that is never easy to predict, but when it comes to the Seated Liberties you can bet that their value will rise as time moves forward. These coins are only going to become increasingly difficult to find, and that is something that will inevitably inflate the asking price.
What’s more, the longer you wait to purchase, the more likely it will be that all of the extremely well-preserved coins will be bought up. Basically, because of these coins’ extreme age, now is the best time to act if you want to purchase an affordable coin.
Liberty Seated Quarters
DATE | GOOD | FINE | EXTREMELY FINE | UNCIRCULATED |
---|---|---|---|---|
1838 Liberty Seated Quarter (No Drapery) | $35 | $60 | $375 | $750 |
1839 Liberty Seated Quarter (No Drapery) | $35 | $60 | $375 | $750 |
1840 Liberty Seated Quarter (No Drapery) (O) | $40 | $70 | $400 | $800 |
1840 Liberty Seated Quarter (Drapery) | $25 | $55 | $180 | $300 |
1840 Liberty Seated Quarter (Drapery) (O) | $30 | $70 | $210 | $500 |
1841 Liberty Seated Quarter | $45 | $100 | $250 | $325 |
1841 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $60 | $175 | $320 |
1842 Liberty Seated Quarter | $75 | $160 | $350 | $650 |
1842 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $20 | $70 | $220 | $600 |
1843 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $85 | $175 |
1843 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $60 | $250 | $800 |
1844 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $85 | $175 |
1844 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $60 | $200 | $360 |
1845 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $80 | $160 |
1846 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $85 | $180 |
1847 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $80 | $160 |
1847 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $35 | $75 | $800 | $2,500 |
1848 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $60 | $175 | $300 |
1849 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $45 | $160 | $250 |
1849 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $450 | $1,100 | $6,000 | $7,750 |
1850 Liberty Seated Quarter | $30 | $65 | $175 | $475 |
1850 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $65 | $175 | $475 |
1851 Liberty Seated Quarter | $35 | $75 | $200 | $300 |
1851 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $150 | $475 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
1852 Liberty Seated Quarter | $45 | $95 | $225 | $300 |
1852 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $175 | $400 | $2,250 | $4,500 |
1853 Liberty Seated Quarter (No Arrows or Rays) | $300 | $625 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
1853 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $175 | $300 |
1853 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $25 | $60 | $250 | $1,100 |
1854 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $75 | $225 |
1854 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $45 | $100 | $275 |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $85 | $225 |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $40 | $85 | $350 | $1,100 |
1856 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $75 | $160 |
1856 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $25 | $55 | $80 | $250 |
1856 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $40 | $100 | $1,500 | $2,250 |
1857 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $75 | $160 |
1857 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $50 | $150 | $400 |
1857 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $60 | $200 | $600 | $1,200 |
1858 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $75 | $175 |
1858 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $45 | $125 | $350 |
1858 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $35 | $75 | $175 |
1859 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $80 | $175 |
1859 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $25 | $50 | $135 | $400 |
1859 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $100 | $350 | $4,200 | $12,500 |
1860 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $80 | $175 |
1860 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $30 | $55 | $95 | $375 |
1860 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $600 | $2,000 | $12,500 | $20,000 |
1861 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $33 | $80 | $175 |
1861 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $150 | $500 | $2,500 | $10,000 |
1862 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $33 | $85 | $175 |
1862 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $55 | $150 | $800 | $1,800 |
1863 Liberty Seated Quarter | $40 | $75 | $240 | $375 |
1864 Liberty Seated Quarter | $75 | $120 | $275 | $425 |
1864 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $35 | $75 | $800 | $2,500 |
1865 Liberty Seated Quarter | $75 | $130 | $275 | $500 |
1865 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $85 | $175 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
1866 Liberty Seated Quarter | $350 | $625 | $1,600 | $1,850 |
1866 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $200 | $575 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
1867 Liberty Seated Quarter | $200 | $450 | $1,350 | $1,650 |
1867 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $200 | $525 | $4,500 | $8,400 |
1868 Liberty Seated Quarter | $120 | $200 | $525 | $625 |
1868 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $80 | $170 | $900 | $1,500 |
1869 Liberty Seated Quarter | $250 | $425 | $900 | $1,100 |
1869 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $80 | $190 | $1,000 | $1,600 |
1870 Liberty Seated Quarter | $50 | $110 | $275 | $450 |
1870 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $10,000 | $18,500 | $35,000 | $65,000 |
1871 Liberty Seated Quarter | $30 | $60 | $225 | $350 |
1871 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $2,500 | $9,500 | $25,000 | $45,000 |
1871 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $325 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $4,500 |
1872 Liberty Seated Quarter | $30 | $60 | $200 | $300 |
1872 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $1,200 | $2,400 | $12,000 | $20,000 |
1872 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $750 | $1,400 | $6,000 | $8,000 |
1873 Liberty Seated Quarter (Close 3) | $125 | $300 | $1,500 | $2,500 |
1873 Liberty Seated Quarter (Open 3) | $30 | $65 | $200 | $300 |
1873 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $3,500 | $11,500 | $25,000 | $35,000 |
1873 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $35 | $65 | $350 | $750 |
1874 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $40 | $200 | $450 |
1874 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $65 | $265 | $485 |
1875 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1875 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $80 | $200 | $650 | $1,200 |
1875 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $35 | $70 | $200 | $300 |
1876 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1876 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $45 | $75 | $120 | $250 |
1876 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1877 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1877 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $45 | $75 | $120 | $220 |
1877 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1878 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1878 Liberty Seated Quarter (CC) | $55 | $85 | $200 | $300 |
1878 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $125 | $360 | $700 | $1,300 |
1879 Liberty Seated Quarter | $120 | $200 | $325 | $400 |
1880 Liberty Seated Quarter | $120 | $200 | $325 | $400 |
1881 Liberty Seated Quarter | $160 | $250 | $375 | $425 |
1882 Liberty Seated Quarter | $130 | $210 | $325 | $425 |
1883 Liberty Seated Quarter | $130 | $210 | $325 | $425 |
1884 Liberty Seated Quarter | $225 | $350 | $550 | $600 |
1885 Liberty Seated Quarter | $130 | $225 | $325 | $400 |
1886 Liberty Seated Quarter | $300 | $475 | $675 | $750 |
1887 Liberty Seated Quarter | $225 | $325 | $475 | $525 |
1888 Liberty Seated Quarter | $200 | $325 | $500 | $650 |
1888 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1889 Liberty Seated Quarter | $150 | $225 | $325 | $450 |
1890 Liberty Seated Quarter | $60 | $100 | $175 | $300 |
1891 Liberty Seated Quarter | $25 | $35 | $65 | $160 |
1891 Liberty Seated Quarter (O) | $200 | $600 | $2,250 | $3,200 |
1891 Liberty Seated Quarter (S) | $25 | $35 | $70 | $160 | Source: Red Book |