$0.10 1879 Silver Seated Dime, PCGS MS67. When the Philadelphia Mint started production of the Morgan Silver Dollars in 1878, the production of other silver denominations began to taper off. This is apparent in the miniscule mintage figure of the 1879 Seated dimes of just 14,000 circulation strikes. As can be imagined with a coin the size of the dime, survivors are scarce and ones in superb gem condition quite rare. NGC and PCGS both list their MS67 populations as 25 specimens each.

$0.25 1796 Bust Quarter Dollar, NGC AU53.  The low mintage of a meager 6,146 Bust quarters in 1796, the inaugural year for the new American denomination, can be laid at the feet of the U.S. half dollar denomination, which was a workhorse among early coin series. The Spanish Colonial two reales coins were also widely available in the late 18th century and the first half of the 19th century in America and elsewhere, worth 25 American cents and widely accepted as an alternative to the U.S. quarter. The fledgling U.S. Mint, with its limited bullion deposits and meager capacity, could scarcely compete with the pervasive Spanish Colonial coins, which were made most prominently in Mexico (Mexico City), Peru (Lima), Bolivia (Potosí), and Colombia (Santa Fe de Bogotá), and other locations.

It would be 1857 before the legal tender status of the foreign silver coins in America would be revoked. The 1796-dated U.S. quarters would be the last of the denomination until 1804, by which time the Heraldic Eagle appeared on the reverse. Two different obverse dies were used to produce the 1796 issue. This example of B-1, the less common obverse which is very scarce in all grades, shows Tompkins Die State 3/3, a late state with prominent crack to the left of the 1 in the date.

Deep gunmetal-gray surfaces have significant blue and green overtones. Liberty's portrait shows a number of adjustment marks, both near-horizontal and near-vertical, but these do not influence the grade. The reverse has a smoother appearance despite being technically slightly inferior, yet it too is thoroughly pleasing for an AU53 coin, still-lustrous with only isolated wear on the high design elements of the eagle's breast and leg.

The 1796 quarter is an important issue from both the rarity and type perspective. The mintage was miniscule ascertaining any survivor to be described as a "scarcity". Quarter dollars were not produced again after 1796 until 1804. This makes the 1796 quarter a one-year type, as well as, the first year of issue for both the denomination and the design. An incredible coin to own!

$0.25 1796 Silver Draped Bust Quarter, PCGS EF40. The first quarter and the first dime were both struck in 1796. While both denominations were authorized by the Mint Act of 1792, it would be four years before all denominations would be in circualtion.  The quarter denomination originated with Spanish Colonial coinage which was divided into 8 bits of 121/2 cents each. Thus, a quarter in early days  was often called "two bits".

The 1796 quarter is an important issue from both the rarity and type perspective. The mintage was miniscule with just 6,146 circulation strikes produced ascertaining any survivor to be described as a "scarcity". Quarter dollars were not produced again after 1796 until 1804.  This makes the 1796 quarter a one-year type, as well as, the first year of issue for both the denomination and the design. An incredible coin to own!

A blast white coin that is priced well below the Trends of $6500 and the Collector's Universe list of $6750.

Priced way below the Collector's Universe/PCGS list of $4,000, this coin is blast white!

$0.25 1870 Gold Octagonal California Fractional 25c, NGC MS62.

$0.25 1893 Silver Columbian Exposition Isabella Quarter, NGC MS64.

$0.25 1916 Silver Standing Liberty Quarter, NGC AU55 Top 100 #59. 

Due to the Coinage Act of September 25, 1890 which stipulated a coin design must be in existence for at least 25 years, the Barber designed quarter could not be changed until 1917. Perhaps to honor this law, or circumvent it, the Mint elected to release the newly designed Standing Liberty Quarter on December 29, 1916.  There is no documented reason so speculations can be made as to their reasoning, maybe believing with the New Year so close, it was okay to pre-release the already produced 52,000 circulation strikes (they had actually been ready for release since July of 1916).  We were at war and it seems before anyone knew it, most all of the entire mintage was released into circulation leaving very few uncirculated coins for today’s collector.

A competition was held with several top sculptors being invited to submit their designs. Selected was a design by Hermon Atkins McNeil who is known for this quarter, as well as, sculpting Justice, the Guardian of Liberty on the east pediment of the United States Supreme Court Building. McNeil’s quarter design depicts Lady Liberty standing between two large pedestals, holding an olive branch in her right hand and a shield in her left. She wears a flowing gown which exposes her right breast. After the release to the public on January 17, 1917, it is commonly believed that public outcry at its obscenity brought about the breast cover-up with the addition of a coat of mail in late 1917.  Numismatic scholars believe today that the design change was actually a reaction to the ongoing World War I and to promote a more war-ready America. It would not be out of the realm of possibility to believe it was very probable a combination of both theories that brought about the design change. Whatever the reason, the Standing Liberty Quarter design was suspended in 1932 to honor George Washington’s 200^th Birthday by the one year issue of a design depicting Washington. It is documented that the change was so publically acclaimed that the Standing Liberty Quarter production was never resumed. For those of us that are more into the aesthetically pleasing designs, we think the 1932 public may have been a little crazy!

Voted coin number 59 in the Garrett/Guth book 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, the Collector’s Universe list is $13,200.

$0.25 1917-D Standing Liberty Type 1, NGC MS62 FH.

$0.50 1794 Silver Flowing Hair Half Dollar, PCGS VF25.

$0.50 1834 Capped Bust Half Dollar, NGC AU Details.

$0.50 1877-S Silver Seated Half Dollar, NGC MS62

$0.50 1916-S Silver Walking Liberty, NGC MS63.

$0.50 1917-D Walking Liberty Reverse Mintmark, NGC MS63

$0.50 1920 Silver Pilgrim Tercentenary Half Dollar, ICG MS64.

$0.50 1921-D Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollar, NGC FA2.

$0.50 1925 Silver Stone Mountain Memorial Half Dollar, PCGS MS64 #24057459. 

$0.50 1925 Silver Stone Mountain Memorial Half Dollar, PCGS MS64 #24057460

$0.50 1935-S Silver Texas Commemorative, PCGS MS66.

$0.50 1936-D Silver Texas Commemorative, PCGS MS66.