1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter is a 90% silver coin struck at up to three mints, and guide estimates range from about $82.00 to $120,144.00 depending on the specific mint, finish and condition. That spread is not one price for every coin.
Your quarter's mint, grade and whether it is a business strike or proof each push the value into a different part of that range.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1872 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 uses those images for a preliminary identification of the mint, design type and general condition.
It is not a substitute for professional authentication or grading, but it gives you a solid starting point before digging deeper.
1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- 1872-CC: Guide estimates reach $120,144.00 at MS60 — the Carson City mintmark makes this the standout issue for the year.
- 1872-S: Guide values climb to $17,447.00 at MS63, well above Philadelphia strikes in the same grade.
- 1872 Philadelphia: A solid MS63 example carries a guide estimate of $2,776.00, modest next to the branch mints but still meaningful for original, problem-free coins.
Step 1: Identify Your 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Mint Mark and Version
The 1872 quarter comes in four collectible branches: the Philadelphia business strike, the Philadelphia proof, the Carson City (CC) issue and the San Francisco (S) issue. Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark at all.
Carson City and San Francisco coins show a small "CC" or "S" on the reverse, tucked below the eagle.
All four versions are struck in 90% silver and 10% copper at a standard weight of 6.22 grams. The design features the Seated Liberty on the obverse and an eagle with the motto "In God We Trust" on the reverse banner.
To identify your branch, flip the coin over and look directly beneath the eagle. No letter means Philadelphia.
If you see "CC" you have a Carson City coin, which is the scarce one collectors chase hardest. An "S" indicates San Francisco.
Do not assume rarity from wear or a shiny surface alone — confirm the mintmark first.
Step 2: Check Your 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Grade
Focus on four areas of Liberty: her head, breast, knee and the lines of the shield she holds. On the reverse, check the eagle's breast feathers and upper wing tips.
These high points lose detail first as a coin circulates.
A coin in Good (G4) condition will show Liberty's outline with most fine detail worn flat. At Mint State (MS60), the coin should have no wear on those high points, though contact marks and luster breaks are still possible.
Compare your coin's surfaces to the reference image of this type. A weakly struck coin can look worn even when it is not, because the die did not fully impress the design.
Likewise, a cleaned coin may appear bright and "uncirculated" while actually showing smoothed high points and stripped luster.
Do not assume a coin with full head detail has a special strike designation. Weak strikes at the center are common on Seated quarters, and brightness from cleaning is not the same as original mint luster.
Step 3: Check 1872 Liberty Seated Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1872 Liberty Seated Quarter
The 1872 Philadelphia quarter is the most available branch for this year. It has no mintmark — the reverse below the eagle is blank.
In well-circulated Good-4 condition, USA Coin Book guide estimates place it around $82.00. Move up to Mint State 60 and the estimate jumps to $1,135.00, then $2,776.00 at MS63.
These are guide estimates, not guaranteed sale prices. Original surfaces matter a lot with Seated quarters; a cleaned or damaged coin will trade below these figures even if it technically grades the same number.
Look for natural gray or golden 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
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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
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
Coin Identifier
AU 55
Coin Identifier
AU 58
Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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Coin Identifier
MS 61
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MS 62
Coin Identifier
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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—
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MS 69
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—
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MS 70
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—
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1872 Liberty Seated Quarter — PR
The 1872 proof quarter was made at Philadelphia for collectors, not commerce. There is no mintmark.
Proof manufacture means the coin was struck with polished dies on a specially prepared planchet, producing mirror-like fields. This is a manufacturing finish, not a grade above Mint State.
At PR63, the USA Coin Book guide estimate is $1,072.00. Hairlines from old cleaning and surface haze are common problems that knock proof coins below their potential.
A proof should show squared, sharp rims and deeply reflective fields when tilted under a light. If your coin just looks shiny but has rounded rims and flow lines, it is more likely a well-preserved business strike.
Confirm the distinction before assuming proof status.
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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1872 Liberty Seated Quarter — CC
This is the one that gets people excited, and for good reason. The 1872-CC quarter was struck at the Carson City Mint in Nevada.
Look for a small "CC" mintmark on the reverse beneath the eagle.
Carson City quarters from the early 1870s survived in small numbers, which drives serious demand. The USA Coin Book guide places an 1872-CC at roughly $2,910.00 even in worn Good-4 condition.
At MS60 the estimate rockets to $120,144.00.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you want to look up other Carson City denominations and compare guide values across years.
Because of the high value, counterfeits and added mintmarks exist. If you believe you have a CC quarter, professional certification through a major grading service is strongly recommended before buying or selling.
Original surfaces, even heavily worn ones, are still very collectible for this branch.
Range Grade
Price Auction Records Appraisal PO PO 1
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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
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F 15
Coin Identifier VF VF 20
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VF 25
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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
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Coin Identifier MS MS 60
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MS 61
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MS 62
Coin Identifier
MS 63
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MS 64
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Coin Identifier
MS 65
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Coin Identifier
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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1872 Liberty Seated Quarter — S
The 1872-S quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint and carries a small "S" mintmark on the reverse below the eagle. It is considerably scarcer than the Philadelphia issue, though not as rare as the Carson City.
USA Coin Book guide estimates start at $2,776.00 in Good-4 — already matching what a nice MS63 Philadelphia coin would bring. At MS60 the estimate is $12,165.00, and MS63 reaches $17,447.00.
Those numbers reflect genuine scarcity in higher grades.
Original surfaces are critical here. Cleaning and damage pull real-world prices well below guide figures.
If your coin has the "S" mintmark and looks problem-free, it is worth a closer look by a professional grading service.
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
Coin Identifier G G 4
Coin Identifier
G 6
Coin Identifier VG VG 8
Coin Identifier
VG 10
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Coin Identifier F F 12
Coin Identifier
F 15
Coin Identifier VF VF 20
Coin Identifier
VF 25
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VF 30
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VF 35
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Coin Identifier XF XF 40
Coin Identifier
XF 45
Coin Identifier AU AU 50
Coin Identifier
AU 53
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AU 55
Coin Identifier
AU 58
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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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