1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter spans several distinct mint and finish categories, and values vary widely depending on which one you have. Guide estimates for regular business strikes start around $46 in G4 condition and climb to roughly $15,256 for a choice uncirculated 1855-O in MS63.
One extraordinary special strike from San Francisco realized $276,000 at auction. Identifying your exact mint and condition is the essential first step.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter
Snap a clear photo of the front and back of your 1855 quarter and upload both images for a preliminary identification. The tool can help you spot the mintmark location and narrow down which version you might be holding.
It is not a substitute for professional authentication, but it gives you a useful starting point before investing further time or money.
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1855-O from New Orleans commands the highest regular guide values, reaching an estimated $15,256 in MS63, far above the Philadelphia issue at the same grade.
- The 1855-S is San Francisco's debut quarter and carries strong collector interest, with guide estimates up to $9,341 in MS63.
- An 1855-S Branch-Mint Special Strike graded SP64 by PCGS sold for $276,000 in August 2011, a unique-level rarity.
- Philadelphia proof 1855 quarters exist but have no standard guide price; each is assessed individually based on authenticated condition.
- Documented doubled die obverse varieties from Philadelphia exist and deserve a closer look under magnification.
Step 1: Identify Your 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Mint Mark and Version
All 1855 Seated Liberty quarters share the same basic design: Liberty seated on the obverse, an eagle without motto on the reverse, and small arrows flanking the date. These arrows distinguish 1854–55 issues from the heavier pre-1853 standard and the 1853 Arrows and Rays type.
The mintmark tells you where your coin was made. No mintmark means Philadelphia.
An "O" below the eagle on the reverse means New Orleans. An "S" means San Francisco, which struck its very first quarters in 1855.
All regular-issue 1855 quarters are 90% silver and 10% copper, about 24.3 mm in diameter and nominally 6.22 grams. If your coin is noticeably lighter or heavier than that, it may be damaged, cleaned, or a different denomination entirely.
Philadelphia also produced a small number of proof strikes in 1855, and San Francisco is credited with an exceptional special strike presentation piece. These require expert attribution and should not be assumed from surface appearance alone.
Step 2: Check Your 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Grade
Start by examining Liberty's head, breast, and knee on the obverse. In lower grades, the head loses detail first, followed by the breast and the lettering on the shield.
On the reverse, check the eagle's breast feathers, wing tips, and claws for sharpness.
A coin in G4 will show a clear outline of Liberty and a readable date, but most interior detail is gone. By VF20, you should see moderate detail in Liberty's gown folds and the eagle's feathers.
MS63 means full original luster with only minor contact marks.
Don't confuse a weak strike with wear. Some 1855 quarters, especially from branch mints, left the press with soft stars or a mushy head.
That is a strike characteristic, not circulation damage. Compare your coin against the grading image to see how genuine wear progresses across the high points.
Hairlines from old cleaning, rim nicks, and corrosion all reduce value regardless of how much detail remains. A sharply detailed coin with heavy cleaning can be worth less than a naturally worn one with original surfaces.
Step 3: Check 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — Business Strike
The 1855 Philadelphia business strike is the most available version of this date. It carries no mintmark.
Guide estimates place it near $46 in G4, around $69 in VF20, and roughly $1,353 in MS63.
Most survivors show honest wear from decades of pocket change. Original, problem-free examples in any grade are preferable to cleaned or damaged coins that technically grade higher.
If your coin has no mintmark and shows the Arrows-No Rays design, this is likely your match.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | Coin Identifier | |||
| XF | XF 40 | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF 45 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 67 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — Proof
Philadelphia also struck proof 1855 Seated quarters in very small numbers. These share the same design and composition as the business strike but were produced with specially prepared dies on polished planchets for presentation or collector purposes.
No standard guide price is adopted for the 1855 proof. Each example requires individual assessment based on its authenticated identity, preservation, and surface quality.
Reflectivity alone does not confirm proof status; genuine attribution needs comparison against known specimens or professional certification. If you suspect you have one, third-party grading is the logical next step.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR | PR 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| PR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 3 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 4 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 8 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 12 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 20 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 40 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 50 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 55 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 58 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 60 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 66 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 67 | — | — | — | |
| PR 68 | — | — | — | |
| PR 69 | — | — | — | |
| PR 70 | — | — | — |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — O Business Strike
The 1855-O carries an "O" mintmark on the reverse below the eagle and was struck at the New Orleans Mint. It is the priciest regular business strike of the year by a wide margin.
Guide estimates run about $163 in G4, roughly $675 in VF20, and approximately $15,256 in MS63. That steep jump into uncirculated territory reflects genuine scarcity; most 1855-O quarters saw heavy use.
Finding one with original surfaces and strong detail is a real accomplishment. Clean examples without damage or tooling are what the market rewards.
Coin Value Lookup is a handy starting point if you want to compare this quarter's value against other dates and mints in the Seated Liberty series.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VG | VG 8 | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG 10 | Coin Identifier | |||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF | VF 20 | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 25 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF 30 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF 35 | Coin Identifier | |||
| XF | XF 40 | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF 45 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | — | — | — | |
| MS 66 | — | — | — | |
| MS 67 | — | — | — | |
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — S Business Strike
San Francisco struck its first-ever quarters in 1855, making the 1855-S a historically significant coin. Look for the small "S" mintmark on the reverse beneath the eagle.
Guide estimates sit around $131 in G4, approximately $730 in VF20, and about $9,341 in MS63. Branch-mint strike quality can be inconsistent, so soft stars or a slightly mushy head do not necessarily mean heavy wear.
Compare carefully against known grading standards before concluding your coin is lower grade than it actually is. Original surfaces without cleaning are critical to holding full value.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | Coin Identifier | ||
| G 6 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VG | VG 8 | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG 10 | Coin Identifier | |||
| F | F 12 | Coin Identifier | ||
| F 15 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF | VF 20 | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 25 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF 30 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF 35 | Coin Identifier | |||
| XF | XF 40 | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF 45 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | — | — | — | |
| MS 67 | — | — | — | |
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — S Branch-Mint Special Strike
This is the rarest version associated with the 1855 quarter. PCGS recognizes an 1855-S Branch-Mint Special Strike, a presentation-quality piece produced at the San Francisco Mint with unusual care.
A single example graded SP64 by PCGS sold for $276,000 in August 2011.
That price reflects an essentially unique coin, not an ordinary 1855-S business strike value. Do not assume your 1855-S is a special strike just because it looks nice or has some reflectivity.
Attribution at this level demands professional certification against the known specimen. If you genuinely believe you hold something extraordinary, submit it to a major grading service rather than relying on visual impressions alone.
1855-S Liberty Seated Quarter Special Strike Value by Grade
Reliable grade-by-grade prices are not currently available. The confirmed Special Strike catalogue entry has no usable grade-by-grade values in the current price feed. Ordinary 1855-S circulation-strike values do not represent this exceptional issue.
1855 Liberty Seated Quarter Error List
1. 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — Doubled Die Obverse
Two distinct doubled die obverse varieties have been documented on 1855 Philadelphia Arrows quarters. Under magnification, look for rounded, duplicated contours on the date digits, stars, or Liberty's profile that show either leftward or rightward doubling depending on which die was used.
The key diagnostic is that genuine hub doubling produces smooth, rounded secondary outlines rather than flat shelf-like ridges. Flat mechanical doubling, which happens during the striking process rather than during die creation, is far more common and carries no meaningful premium.
Also be careful not to confuse doubled die 1855 large cents with quarters; they are entirely different coins despite sharing the date. No standard price premium is adopted for these varieties.
Each example needs individual assessment based on authenticated die match, the strength of the doubling, and the coin's overall condition.
2. 1855 Liberty Seated Quarter — Severe Reverse Die Deterioration
Some 1855-S business strikes display severe reverse die deterioration, visible as a raised, rough halo spreading around the eagle and the legend STATES OF AMERICA. In advanced die states, this roughness can nearly overwhelm the original design, giving the reverse a bloated, almost corroded appearance.
The deterioration progressed through stages, so early die-state coins may look perfectly normal while later strikes are dramatically affected. Do not mistake genuine die deterioration for post-mint corrosion, casting texture from a counterfeit, or damage from harsh cleaning.
The raised material on a deteriorated die coin follows a predictable pattern radiating outward from the design elements.
No standard price premium is adopted for this variety. Whether it adds or subtracts from a coin's appeal depends on the collector and the severity of the effect.
Individual assessment by a knowledgeable dealer or grading service is the safest approach.
