1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter is a 90% silver coin struck during a short transitional period when arrows flanked the date. Guide estimates from USA Coin Book range from $46.00 to $1,683.00 depending on the specific mint, finish and grade.
Not every 1874 quarter falls at the high end — your coin's value depends on whether it came from Philadelphia or San Francisco, whether it is a proof, and how much wear it has seen.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter
The quickest way to start figuring out what you have is to upload clear photos of both the front and back of your coin. Our identifier can give you a preliminary read on the mint, design type and general condition.
Snap the obverse (Liberty's side) and the reverse (eagle side) in good light, and you will have a starting point before diving deeper.
1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- 1874 Proof (PR63) carries the highest single guide estimate at $1,683.00 per USA Coin Book, reflecting its limited proof-only mintage and collector demand for mirrored surfaces.
- 1874-S in MS63 is estimated at $1,353.00 — San Francisco business strikes in uncirculated condition are scarce survivors from heavy commercial use.
- 1874 Philadelphia business strike in MS63 also reaches $1,353.00 in guide estimates; even in well-worn Good-4 condition these start at $46.00 due to their silver content and age.
Step 1: Identify Your 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Mint Mark and Version
All 1874 quarters share the Seated Liberty obverse and an eagle reverse carrying the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" on a banner above the eagle. They also feature small arrows flanking the date, a design detail used only from 1873 to 1874 to mark the slight weight change.
Philadelphia strikes carry no mintmark. San Francisco coins show a small "S" on the reverse, below the eagle and above the denomination.
That is the only mintmark you will find on an 1874 quarter — no O or CC versions exist for this date.
If your coin has no mintmark, it could be either a regular business strike or a proof. Proofs were made on polished planchets and struck with extra pressure, producing mirrored fields and sharply defined devices.
A shiny, well-preserved business strike is not the same thing. Proof attribution usually requires in-hand examination of surface characteristics, not just brightness.
The standard weight is 6.25 grams. If your coin is noticeably lighter, it may be damaged, heavily worn, or not genuine.
Step 2: Check Your 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Grade
Start by looking at Liberty's head, the area around her breast, the knee and the shield on the obverse. On a lightly worn coin, the head detail and knee drapery begin to flatten first.
Heavy wear merges the breast and lap into a smooth area.
Flip to the reverse. The eagle's breast feathers and the tops of the wings lose sharpness before other details.
A coin grading around Good-4 will show Liberty's outline and the eagle in silhouette, with legends readable but most interior detail gone.
Use the comparison image to match your coin's wear pattern to known grade points. Keep in mind that a weak strike — common on some 19th-century quarters — can mimic wear on an otherwise uncirculated coin.
Look at the fields for original luster; if the high points are soft but the fields still glow with cartwheel luster, the coin may be better than it first appears.
Cleaning strips that luster and can leave tiny hairlines visible under magnification. A cleaned coin, even one with little actual wear, will typically bring less than a comparable original-surface example.
Step 3: Check 1874 Liberty Seated Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1874 Liberty Seated Quarter
The 1874 Philadelphia business strike has no mintmark on the reverse. It features the Seated Liberty obverse with arrows at the date and the motto eagle reverse.
In well-circulated Good-4 condition, USA Coin Book estimates this coin at $46.00. Jump to Mint State 60 and the guide climbs to $1,072.00, reaching $1,353.00 at MS63.
Original surfaces matter a lot here. A coin that has been cleaned or has rim damage will not command guide-level prices even if the detail looks sharp.
When evaluating yours, check for natural toning and undisturbed luster in the protected areas around the stars and letters.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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1874 Liberty Seated Quarter — PR
The 1874 Proof was struck at Philadelphia with no mintmark, just like its business-strike sibling, but the manufacturing process was entirely different. Proofs were made from polished dies on polished planchets, producing deeply mirrored fields that contrast with the raised design elements.
USA Coin Book estimates a PR63 example at $1,683.00, the highest guide figure for any 1874 quarter. That price reflects both the tiny original proof mintage and the demand from type collectors who want the arrows-at-date design in proof finish.
Do not assume your coin is a proof just because it is shiny. Look for perfectly squared rims, mirror-like reflective fields and fully struck details.
Hairlines from past cleaning or surface haze from improper storage will reduce collector value. Professional attribution is usually necessary to confirm proof status on 150-year-old coins.
Coin Value Lookup is a good place to start when you want to look up guide values for other dates and denominations in the Liberty Seated series.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PR PR 1
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PR 2
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PR 3
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PR 4
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PR 6
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PR 8
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PR 10
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PR 12
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PR 15
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PR 20
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PR 25
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PR 30
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PR 35
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PR 40
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PR 45
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PR 50
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PR 53
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PR 55
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PR 58
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PR 60
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PR 61
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PR 62
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PR 63
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PR 64
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PR 65
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PR 66
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PR 67
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PR 68
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PR 69
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PR 70
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1874 Liberty Seated Quarter — S
The 1874-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint and carries a small "S" mintmark on the reverse beneath the eagle. The same arrows-at-date design and 90% silver, 6.25-gram standard apply.
In Good-4 condition, USA Coin Book places this coin at $46.00 — identical to the Philadelphia issue at the same grade. At MS60 the estimate is $1,072.00, and at MS63 it reaches $1,353.00.
San Francisco quarters saw heavy commercial use in the western economy, so finding one with original mint luster intact is not a common event.
Before comparing your coin to guide prices, confirm the mintmark location and make sure the surfaces have not been cleaned or tooled. A genuine original-surface 1874-S in any collectible grade is a solid piece of 19th-century silver.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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Coin Identifier FR FR 2
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Coin Identifier AG AG 3
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Coin Identifier G G 4
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G 6
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Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
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F 15
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Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
Coin Identifier XF XF 40
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XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
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AU 53
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AU 55
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AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
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MS 63
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MS 64
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MS 65
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MS 66
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MS 67
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MS 68
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MS 69
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MS 70
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