American Quarter Dollars are very popular coins to collect. From the first coins dated 1796 to the present, collecting types of quarters or complete sets have always been popular. This denomination consists of the following major types of Quarters:
- Draped Bust Quarters, Small Eagle (1796)
- Draped Bust Quarters, Heraldic Eagle (1804 – 1807)
- Capped Bust Quarters, Large Size (1815 – 1828)
- Capped Bust Quarters, Small Size (1831 – 1838)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, No Motto, Variety 1 (1838 – 1853)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Arrows & Rays, Variety 2 (1853)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Arrows, No Rays, Variety 3 (1854 – 1855)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Variety 1 with Weight of Variety 2 (1856 – 1865)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Motto Above Eagle, Variety 4 (1866 – 1873)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Arrows at Date, Variety 5 (1873 – 1874)
- Seated Liberty Quarters, Variety 4 with Weight of Variety 5 (1875 – 1891)
- Barber (or Liberty Head) Quarters (1892 – 1916)
- Standing Liberty Quarters, No Stars Below Eagle, Variety 1 (1916 – 1917)
- Standing Liberty Quarters, Stars Below Eagle, Variety 2 (1917 – 1930)
- Washington Quarters (1932 – 1964)
- Washington Quarters, Clad (1965 – 1998)
- Washington Quarters, Bicentennial (1776 – 1976)
- Washington Quarters, State Quarters (1999 – 2008)
- Washington Quarters, DC & Territories (2009)
- Washington Quarters, America The Beautiful (2010 – 2021)
- Washington Quarters, Crossing the Delaware (2021)
- Washington Quarters, American Women (2022 – 2025)
Collecting all the dates and mint-marked coins of these series would be a monumental and herculean task – as well as very expensive. Some collectors attempt getting one of each variety, or even the first or last date of each variety. Some collectors focus on completable sets, such as all Washington Quarters from 1932 to the current date. That is a doable set and not horrendously expensive.
So, let’s discuss the Quarter Dollars that are expensive now. The 5 Rarest Quarter Dollars are wonderful, rare, and expensive coins. Let’s review them in date order, and we will provide all the information you need to know. All the coins are priced in Extremely Fine (XF) condition.
1. 1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle, Extremely Fine, $50,000.00.
The 1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle was the very first quarter dollar ever struck by the United States Mint. There were only 6,146 coins initially struck.
The original design of this quarter was likely created by the famous portrait artist Gilbert Stuart, whose oil paintings of our original Founding Fathers are legendary. Stuart’s unfinished portrait of Washington is one of the most famous colonial portraits.
Our first U.S. Mint Chief Engraver, Robert Scot, engraved the coins. Unlike all later coins, these early issues comprised .8924 Fine Silver and .1076 Copper. This ensured that twenty-five cents worth of fine silver were contained in each coin.
The obverse has an allegorical representation of Miss Liberty facing right. On the upper periphery is the word “LIBERTY,” and to the right are seven six-pointed stars, and to the left are eight six-pointed stars. Underneath the bust of Miss Liberty is the date “1796”.
The reverse’s central vignette is a small eagle standing on rocks inside an olive wreath. Around the periphery are the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” No denomination is stated on the coin as is standard and expected.
(1796 Draped Bust, Quarter Dollar, Small Eagle, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
2. 1823/2 Capped Bust Quarter, Large Size, Variety 1. Extremely Fine, $150,000.00.
Although the mintage is 17,800 coins, only a few have survived. This is one of the classic rarities of early US coinage. This is the only way this date is seen – as an overdate.
Designed by John Reich, the obverse depicts an allegorical representation of Miss Liberty, facing left, with six six-pointed stars on the right periphery and seven six-pointed stars on the left periphery. The date (1823) is below Miss Liberty.
The reverse has a military-type eagle with upraised wings facing left and an American shield covering its body. There is a scroll on which is inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Above the eagle is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and below the eagle is “25 C.”
(1823/2 Capped Bust Quarter, Large Size, Obverse [left], Reverse [right])
3. 1827 Capped Bust Quarter, Large Size, Original Curl, Base “2” in “25 C.”, Extremely Fine, $75,000.00
The 1827 Capped Bust Quarter is an extremely RARE coin. All 1827-dated Capped Bust Quarter Dollars are either Originals from 1827 or Restrikes likely struck in the 1830s or 1840s. All 1827 Capped bust quarters are overdates. The US Mint records state that as many as 4,000 Original coins may have been struck, but approximately 10-12 specimens are known to exist, most of which are Proof strikes.
John Reich designed this coin, and the obverse depicts an allegorical representation of Miss Liberty, facing left, with six six-pointed stars on the right periphery and seven six-pointed stars on the left periphery. The date (1823) is below Miss Liberty.
The reverse, as described above, has a military-type eagle with upraised wings facing left and an American shield covering its body. There is a scroll on which is inscribed “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Above the eagle is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and below the eagle is “25 C.”
This is a true classic American rarity and always commands attention and a substantial premium.
4. 1870-CC Seated Liberty Quarter, Motto Above Eagle, Variety 4, Extremely Fine, $47,500.00
With a scant mintage of only 8,340 coins, the 1870-CC Seated Liberty Quarter Dollar is a very scarce coin. While it may not be the rarest of the Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars, it is always a star attraction in most any auction. The only known Mint State example was part of the Eliasberg collection and sold at a public auction in 1997.
Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars were struck between 1838 and 1891. 1870-CC is the first year of the Carson City Mint striking any quarter dollar coins. The obverse depicts a seated Liberty design with Liberty holding a Phrygian cap on a pole in one hand and an American shield in the other. On the upper periphery are 13 six-pointed stars, and below Liberty is the date.
The reverse has a very slightly modified military eagle from the John Reich original design holding a banner in its beak on which is “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES IF AMERICA” on the upper periphery with “QUAR. DOL.” as the denomination on the lower periphery.
5. 1873-CC Seated Liberty Quarter, Motto Above Eagle, Variety 4, Extremely Fine, $250,000.00
There are only five or six known coins of this date. In Extremely Fine condition, this 1873-CC Seated Liberty Quarter can command up to $250,000.00.
Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the Seated Liberty Quarter Dollars were struck between 1838 and 1891. 1873-CC is the rarest of the Carson City Mint quarter dollar coins. The mintage is reportedly 4,000 coins, but only five or six examples are known.
Three of the five known examples are in Mint State, while the other two reported examples are circulated. The obverse depicts a seated Liberty design with Liberty holding a Phrygian cap on a pole in one hand and an American shield in the other. On the upper periphery are 13 six-pointed stars, and below Liberty is the date.
The reverse has a very slightly modified military eagle from the John Reich original design holding a banner in its beak on which is “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES IF AMERICA” on the upper periphery with “QUAR. DOL.” as the denomination on the lower periphery.
Exceedingly RARE and always in demand in ANY possible grade.
