Lot 1332
1916. PCGS graded MS-64 Full Head. The winner of the Treasury Department's competition for a new quarter design in 1915 was Hermon A. MacNeil, whose brilliant standing Liberty motif is considered to be one of the true classics in U.S. numismatics. Using 22 year old model, Dora Doscher, for the obverse portrait of Liberty, the initial design of the standing Liberty quarter displayed, among other differences, an exposed right breast on Liberty. Subsequently, she became known as "the girl on the quarter" and lived a long life until 1970. Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo (son-in-law of President Woodrow Wilson and a man who also had his sight set on the White House), fearing a scandal, gave into the wishes of the Society for the Suppression of Vice and ordered the design altered after only a few months in production. The coins struck from December 1916 through July 1917 display MacNeil's design in its most artistic, unmodified form. Numismatists now refer to this classic design as the Type One standing Liberty quarter.
Although the Quarter was not legally slated for redesign until 1917, the Philadelphia Mint struck 52,000 of the new standing Liberty type between December 16 -- 31, 1916. The government did not release these coins until early the following year at the same time as the first 1917 Type One pieces. As a 20th century issue with such a limited original mintage, the 1916 is an undeniably popular coin at all levels of preservation, circulated or Mint State. Uncirculated examples are the most eagerly sought-after standing Liberty quarters in today's market, on a par in popularity with the elusive 1918/7-S. An important strike rarity, only 3% of the 1916 Standing Liberty quarters produced display Full Head definition such as this piece.
This is an unquestionably original example of this first-year key date. Each side is richly toned, and differing shades are evident on each side. The obverse displays progressively deeper golden-russet toning toward the margin with cobalt-blue accents at the outermost area, while the reverse has a significant presence of sky-blue, lilac, and golden-brown that is somewhat deeper in ton at the outer rim. The strike is strong overall, not just on Liberty's head as designated by PCGS, and there are no mentionable marks on either side. Pop 125; 100 finer at PCGS. (PCGS # 5705) .
Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000.
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