The 1920 Standing Liberty Quarter without a mint mark is worth anywhere from $15 in heavily worn condition to over $15,000 for rare, high-grade specimens. If you have found one of these beautiful vintage coins in a drawer or an old jar, you are holding a piece of American history that remains highly sought after by collectors today.

Condition Grade	Estimated Market Value
Good (G-4)	$15 – $20
Fine (F-12)	$35 – $45
Extremely Fine (EF-40)	$85 – $110
Uncirculated (MS-63)	$250 – $400
Full Head (MS-65 FH)	$1,200+

Understanding the Philadelphia Mint 1920 Standing Liberty Quarter

The Standing Liberty Quarter is widely considered one of the most beautiful coins ever produced by the United States Mint. First released in 1916 and designed by Hermon Atkins MacNeil, it features Lady Liberty stepping through a gate, holding a shield and an olive branch. If you are examining your coin and notice there is no small letter “S” or “D” near the date, it means your coin was minted in Philadelphia. For beginners, using a top coin identifier app is the fastest way to confirm these details.

By 1920, the design had been slightly modified from its original 1916 release to add chain mail to Liberty’s chest, known as the Type 2 design. The Philadelphia Mint produced over 27 million quarters this year. While that sounds like a large number, many were lost to circulation or melted down over the decades. Today, finding one with a clear date is a win for any casual collector.

To get an instant sense of what your specific coin might be worth, you can use the CoinKnow app to scan the obverse and reverse. This app helps filter through the noise of online auctions to give you a realistic estimate based on recent sales.

Determining the Grade and 1920 No Mint Mark Quarter Worth

The value of a 1920 quarter is almost entirely dictated by its “grade,” or the amount of wear and tear it has sustained. Because these coins were used daily in transactions century ago, most surviving examples are very worn. On the Standing Liberty design, the first things to disappear are the date and the details on Liberty’s head.

Collectors use a scale from 1 to 70. A “Good” grade implies the coin is heavily worn but the date is still legible. An “About Uncirculated” or “Mint State” coin looks like it just came from the bank. Because there are no mint marks to distinguish this coin as a rarity, the premium is placed on how well the original details have been preserved.

For a deep dive into the technical grading specifics, you can check the 1920 Standing Liberty Quarter auction data which shows how prices jump significantly as the grade improves. Even a single point difference in grading can result in hundreds of dollars in value.

Grade Designation	Visual Characteristics	Price Range
Very Good (VG-8)	Full rims, Liberty’s gown is smooth.	$22 – $28
Very Fine (VF-20)	Shield details and dress lines visible.	$55 – $70
About Uncirculated (AU-50)	Trace wear on high points; original luster.	$150 – $185

The “Full Head” Secret for Maximize Value

In the world of Standing Liberty Quarters, the “Full Head” (FH) designation is the holy grail. When these coins were struck, the pressure of the dies often failed to fully bring out the intricate details of Lady Liberty’s hair and the leaves in her hair. A coin that shows full, crisp detail in the head is much rarer and commands a massive premium.

Professional grading services like PCGS or NGC will add the “FH” suffix to the grade if the coin meets these criteria. For a 1920 Philadelphia quarter, a standard Mint State 65 coin might sell for $600, but the exact same coin with a “Full Head” could sell for over $3,000.

If you aren’t sure if your coin qualifies, CoinKnow can provide high-resolution comparisons to help you spot the difference. Checking the current 1920 Philadelphia quarter valuation is essential before selling, as many people accidentally underprice “Full Head” coins.

Why the Date Matters on 1920 Quarters

One major issue with early Standing Liberty Quarters (1916-1924) is that the date was positioned on a raised pedestal. This made the date the highest point on the coin’s surface, meaning it was the first thing to wear away. Many “No Date” quarters found in circulation are actually 1920 quarters, but if the date is gone, the coin is generally worth only its silver melt value (roughly $4-$5).

If your 1920 quarter has a clear, bold date, it is automatically worth more than the thousands of “slick” quarters that have lost their identity. Keeping your coin in a protective sleeve or “flip” is vital to prevent further wear. Never try to clean your coin to make the date clearer; cleaning a vintage coin actually reduces its value by removing the original surface patina that collectors love.

The CoinKnow tool can help you identify if a faint date is indeed a 1920 strike by looking at other design markers, such as the arrangement of the stars or the specific “Type 2” drapery details.

Date Condition	Description	Approximate Value
No Date (Worn)	Date is completely rubbed off.	$4.50 (Silver Value)
Weak Date	Date is visible but very thin.	$10 – $15
Bold Date	Numbers are sharp and easy to read.	$25+

Comparison: 1920 Philadelphia vs. Denver and San Francisco

While this guide focuses on the 1920 quarter with no mint mark, it is helpful to know how it compares to its brothers from Denver (D) and San Francisco (S). Usually, the Philadelphia mint produced the most coins, making them the most “common.” However, in 1920, the production was relatively balanced compared to other years.

The 1920-S (San Francisco) is generally the most expensive in high grades, while the 1920-D is slightly scarcer than the Philadelphia version in mid-range grades. If you find a coin with a small “D” or “S” to the left of the date, you may have a coin that is even more valuable than the standard no-mint-mark version.

Always check both sides of the coin carefully. On the Standing Liberty Quarter, the mint mark is found on the front (obverse), just to the left of the date, nestled between the bottom of Liberty’s gown and the stars.

Where to Sell Your 1920 Standing Liberty Quarter

If you’ve determined that your coin is in good condition, you have several options for selling. Local coin shops are the fastest but often pay “wholesale” prices (around 50-70% of market value). Online marketplaces like eBay can fetch higher prices, but you must factor in shipping costs and seller fees.

For coins that appear to be in “About Uncirculated” or “Mint State” condition, it is often worth the investment to have them professionally graded by PCGS or NGC. A certified coin is much easier to sell because the buyer doesn’t have to guess the grade.

Before you sell, use a mobile resource to keep track of the latest price fluctuations. This ensures you don’t walk into a shop and accept a $20 offer for a coin that might actually be worth $200. Knowledge is power when dealing with precious metals and numismatics.

FAQ

Q: Is the 1920 Standing Liberty Quarter made of silver?

A: Yes, all Standing Liberty Quarters minted from 1916 to 1930 are composed of 90% silver and 10% copper. This gives them an intrinsic “melt value” that acts as a floor for their price, even if the coin is heavily damaged.

Q: Why doesn’t my 1920 quarter have a mint mark?

A: If there is no mint mark, your coin was produced at the Philadelphia Mint. During that era, the Philadelphia Mint did not use a mint mark (like “P”) on quarters. The presence of no mark is the identifier for Philadelphia.

Q: How much is a 1920 quarter with no date worth?

A: A 1920 quarter with no visible date is generally worth its silver weight. As of current silver prices, this is typically between $4 and $5. Without a date, collectors have no way to verify the year, which significantly lowers the numismatic value.

Q: Is “Full Head” a different type of coin?

A: No, “Full Head” is not a different minting; it is simply a term describing a very well-struck version of the standard coin. It means the details of Liberty’s face and hair are fully formed, which only happened on a small percentage of coins.