1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof
Proof struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 12 made
- Mintage
- 12
- Metal
- 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
- Weight
- 6.74 g
- Diameter
- 27 mm (1815–1828); 24.3 mm (1831–1838)
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof worth?
This is one of the dates collectors hunt for. A genuine 1827 is valuable in any condition, even well worn. That's exactly why fakes and altered coins turn up so often.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof rare?
- Fairly. The Mint made 12 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Is the 1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof silver?
- Yes. It's 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper and holds 0.1934 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1827 Capped Bust Quarter?
- No mint mark. All struck in Philadelphia.
- How many 1827 Capped Bust Quarter proofs were made?
- 12.
What to check on your 1827
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Judge the grade under good light. Wear first appears on the curls near the ear, the cap and the eagle's wings. The word LIBERTY on the headband should be clear in Fine.
Proofs from 1827 were struck one at a time in small numbers and many were later spent or mishandled. Look for hairlines from cleaning, which lower the grade.
The story of the 1827
The 1827 rarity and the last large quarters (1826 to 1830)
No quarters dated 1826 are known. Mint records report 4,000 quarters for 1827, but those coins may have carried earlier dates. Quarters dated 1827 exist almost entirely as proofs. Originals show a curled base on the 2 of the date, while later restrikes made from the same obverse have a square-based 2. Both are classic rarities that rarely appear for sale.
The 1828 quarter, with 102,000 struck, was the final large-diameter issue. It includes another 25/50 C. reverse in which the earlier 50 is visible beneath the 25. No quarters are dated 1829 or 1830 while the Mint prepared to adopt a close collar and a smaller format. Most 1828 quarters show honest circulation wear. Well struck examples with clear stars and a sharp eagle are the ones to look for.
How to recognize it
Liberty faces left wearing a cloth cap with a band inscribed LIBERTY, surrounded by 13 stars with the date below. The reverse shows an eagle with a shield on its breast and the value 25 C. below. Early coins are larger and carry E PLURIBUS UNUM on a scroll; in 1831 the coin was made smaller on new close-collar presses and the motto was removed.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Capped Bust Quarter (1815–1838) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1827 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 12 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper |
| Weight | 6.74 grams |
| Diameter | 27 mm (1815–1828); 24.3 mm (1831–1838) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.1934 troy oz (6.015 g) |
| Designer | John Reich; reduced-size version by William Kneass |
Other 1827 Capped Bust Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1827 Capped Bust Quarter | 4,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1934 oz |
| 1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof | 12 | Proof | 0.1934 oz |
| 1827 Capped Bust Quarter Proof (Restrike, all known coins are 7 over 3 overdate errors) | about 20 known | Variety | 0.1934 oz |
Mintage: United States quarter mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.