U.S. Mint coin reference

1840–1853: Liberty Seated Quarter (Variety 2: With Drapery at Elbow)

Liberty Seated quarters ran for decades and include multiple subtypes.

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Coin specifications and design

Years made: 1840-1853

Country: United States

Denomination: Quarter dollar

Category: Circulating coin

Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper

Silver fineness: 90%

Silver weight: Approx. 0.1933 oz ASW

Weight: 6.68 g

Diameter: 24.3 mm

Thickness: Approx. 1.75 mm

Edge: Reeded

Designer: Christian Gobrecht

Design identification

Obverse: Liberty seated on a rock holding shield and pole.

1840–1853: Liberty Seated Quarter (Variety 2: With Drapery at Elbow) history

1840–1853: Liberty Seated Quarter (Variety 2: With Drapery at Elbow) adds a fold of drapery at Liberty’s elbow and retains the 6.68-gram pre-reduction quarter standard. The lower 6.22-gram weight belongs to the arrows issue introduced in 1853.

At .900 fineness, the 6.68-gram standard yields about 0.1933 troy ounce of silver. The elbow fold, date, mintmark, and reverse die details identify this subtype before the Coinage Act of 1853 changed the weight.