Designed by: Christian Gobrecht
Issue Dates: 1873-1874
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Diameter: 24.3 mm
Weight: 6.25 grams (96.45 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 2,302,822
Proof Mintage: 1,240
1873–1874 Liberty Seated Quarter – Arrows at Date | U.S. Silver Type Coin with IN GOD WE TRUST Motto
In 1873, a modest but important change was ... Read More
Designed by: Christian Gobrecht
Issue Dates: 1873-1874
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Diameter: 24.3 mm
Weight: 6.25 grams (96.45 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 2,302,822
Proof Mintage: 1,240
1873–1874 Liberty Seated Quarter – Arrows at Date | U.S. Silver Type Coin with IN GOD WE TRUST Motto
In 1873, a modest but important change was made to the Liberty Seated quarter dollar—the coin’s weight was increased from 96 grains to 96.45 grains, equivalent to 6.25 grams. To signal this new standard, arrowheads were placed on either side of the date on all quarter dollars struck later that year and throughout 1874. This small detail marks the 1873–1874 Liberty Seated Quarters with Arrows as a distinct subtype, popular among both type collectors and specialists of 19th-century silver.
Aside from the addition of arrows, the overall design remained unchanged from the version introduced in 1866. The obverse features Lady Liberty seated on a rock, holding a shield and liberty cap, while the reverse bears an eagle with a shield on its breast, surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and 25 C., with the national motto IN GOD WE TRUST prominently placed above the eagle’s wings.
Mintages and Key Dates
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Minted at Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Carson City.
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The 1873-CC Liberty Seated Quarter with Arrows is a standout rarity, especially in any grade.
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While total mintage numbers for the 1873 and 1874 issues are moderate, survivorship in higher grades is quite low.
Collector Market & Availability
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Good to Fine examples are generally available and affordable for type set collectors.
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Very Fine and Extremely Fine coins are significantly scarcer.
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About Uncirculated (AU) and Mint State examples are rare, especially for the Carson City and San Francisco Mint issues.
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Superb Uncirculated coins are seldom encountered and command strong premiums.
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Proofs of both years were produced in limited numbers and occasionally surface in today’s market, especially from the Philadelphia Mint.
Why Collect the 1873–1874 Liberty Seated Quarter with Arrows?
This two-year type represents a brief and historically significant adjustment in U.S. coinage standards. The addition of arrows was a visual cue to the public and bullion traders that the coin met the updated weight regulation. As such, this short-lived subtype is highly collectible and is often required to complete comprehensive Liberty Seated type sets. With a combination of historic appeal, design continuity, and true scarcity in higher grades, the With Arrows Liberty Seated Quarters of 1873–1874 offer excellent long-term value and broad collector interest.
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