1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter is the final year of a design that ran for over half a century, and that swan-song status keeps collectors interested. Guide estimates for this date range from $46.00 to $15,259.00 depending on which mint struck your coin, whether it is a proof, and what condition it survives in.
Not every 1891 quarter is equal — the mint, finish and honest wear level determine where your coin lands in that spread.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1891 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, version and general condition.
Good lighting and a steady hand help — prop the coin on a dark cloth and shoot straight down.
1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- 1891-O quarter: Guide estimates reach $15,259.00 in MS63 condition, making the New Orleans mint the standout for this date.
- 1891 Proof (PR): A proof-finish Philadelphia striking estimated at $938.00 in PR63, collectible as a deliberate presentation piece.
- 1891-S quarter: San Francisco strikes in MS63 carry a guide estimate of $675.00, comparable to the Philadelphia issue at that grade.
- Always confirm the mintmark and surface condition before assuming you hold a valuable version — damage and cleaning change everything.
Step 1: Identify Your 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Mint Mark and Version
The 1891 quarter was struck at three mints. Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark.
New Orleans coins show an "O" and San Francisco coins show an "S," both located on the reverse beneath the eagle.
The composition is 90% silver and 10% copper, with a standard weight of 6.25 grams. If your coin feels suspiciously light or fails to ring when balanced on a fingertip and tapped, that is worth investigating.
The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole and cap. The reverse shows an eagle beneath the motto "In God We Trust," which has appeared on this type since 1866.
Four collectible branches exist for 1891: the Philadelphia business strike, the Philadelphia proof, the New Orleans business strike, and the San Francisco business strike. Identify yours before comparing prices, because the differences are enormous.
Step 2: Check Your 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Grade
Start with Liberty's head and breast on the obverse. In lower grades those areas flatten first, merging into the surrounding field.
The knee and the horizontal lines of the shield go next.
On the reverse, check the eagle's breast feathers and the tops of the wings. These high points wear in a predictable sequence, so compare your coin to the reference image side by side.
Luster matters as much as detail. A coin with full detail but a dull, hazy surface may have been cleaned — and cleaning hammers the value.
Conversely, a weakly struck coin can look worn even when it is not. Liberty Seated quarters from certain mints often came off the press with soft centers, so do not confuse a mushy strike with actual wear.
Hairlines under magnification usually signal past cleaning. Original toning, even if ugly, is generally preferred over a bright, stripped surface.
Step 3: Check 1891 Liberty Seated Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1891 Liberty Seated Quarter
The 1891 Philadelphia business strike has no mintmark anywhere on the coin. In well-worn G4 condition, USA Coin Book estimates it at $46.00.
Move up to MS60 uncirculated and the guide jumps to $330.00, then $675.00 at MS63.
Original surfaces matter here. A coin with natural gray or golden toning and no hairlines will outperform one that has been dipped or polished, even at the same technical grade.
Strike quality varies, so compare the shield lines and eagle feathers to a known sharp example before drawing conclusions about wear.
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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1891 Liberty Seated Quarter — PR
The 1891 proof quarter was made at Philadelphia with polished dies and specially prepared planchets. There is no mintmark.
These are not simply shiny coins — proof manufacture produces mirrored fields and sharp rims that a business strike cannot match.
USA Coin Book estimates a PR63 example at $938.00. Surface preservation is everything with proofs.
Hairlines from improper handling or old cleaning drag the grade and value down quickly. Light haze or original toning is normal and generally acceptable to collectors.
Do not confuse a well-preserved business strike with a proof. True proofs show squared-off rims and fully mirrored fields when tilted under a light.
If the surface looks satiny rather than reflective, you likely have a mint-state business strike instead.
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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1891 Liberty Seated Quarter — O
The 1891-O is the one that gets pulses going. Look for the "O" mintmark on the reverse below the eagle.
In G4, the guide estimate is already $477.00 — roughly ten times the Philadelphia coin in the same grade. At MS60 the estimate climbs to $8,593.00, and an MS63 example is pegged at $15,259.00 by USA Coin Book.
New Orleans quarters from this era are scarce in any grade and genuinely rare when uncirculated. That price jump from G4 to MS60 tells you how few survived without heavy wear.
Cleaning or tooling on one of these is painful, because it can erase most of that premium.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you want to compare this coin's guide values with other dates in the Liberty Seated series before deciding on next steps.
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
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G 6
Coin Identifier VG VG 8
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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
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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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1891 Liberty Seated Quarter — S
San Francisco's 1891-S quarter carries an "S" mintmark on the reverse beneath the eagle. Guide estimates from USA Coin Book place it at $46.00 in G4, $330.00 in MS60 and $675.00 in MS63 — identical figures to the Philadelphia business strike at those grades.
Despite matching the Philadelphia numbers, the 1891-S has its own collector following because West Coast mint coins often display different strike characteristics and toning patterns. Confirm original surfaces before comparing to the guide.
A cleaned coin or one with rim damage will trade well below these estimates regardless of the mintmark.
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
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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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