1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter
Circulation strike struck at the San Francisco Mint · 2,700,000 made
- Mintage
- 2,700,000
- Metal
- 90% silver, 10% copper
- Weight
- 6.25 g
- Diameter
- 24.3 mm
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 a 1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter worth?
In worn condition it trades for about its silver content, 0.1808 troy ounces. Uncirculated coins with full luster or attractive toning sell for more.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A full head on Liberty (FH)
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter rare?
- No. 2.7 million were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Is the 1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter silver?
- Yes. It's 90% silver, 10% copper and holds 0.1808 troy ounces of pure silver.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1926 Standing Liberty Quarter?
- On the obverse, to the left of the date, beside Liberty's foot. Philadelphia quarters have no mint mark. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- Which San Francisco dates near 1926 are scarcer?
- The 1927-S at 396,000, the 1923-S at 1,360,000, the 1930-S at 1,556,000, plus 2 more. So the 1926-S is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter coins were made?
- 2,700,000.
What to check on your 1926-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1926-D (1.7 million made).
- Don't clean it. Cleaning leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
- Judge the grade under good light. Liberty's head is rarely fully struck; "Full Head" (FH) coins command big premiums. The date must be readable for a coin to be worth much.
Circulated examples are usually traded for their silver content. Pick out the best ones: original luster and attractive toning lift a coin above melt, while cleaned coins lose most of their collector value.
The story of the 1926-S
San Francisco hadn't struck the Standing Liberty Quarter since 1924. When it came back in 1926, it made 2,700,000. The next year it made 396,000 (1927-S).
1926-D came to 1.7 million and 1926 came to 11 million, so neither mint's 1926 coin is much scarcer than the other.
San Francisco struck the Standing Liberty Quarter in 12 issues between 1917 and 1930. By mintage this one lands in the more common half, while the key for that mint is the 1927-S (396,000). Within the 1920s it's 10th smallest of 22, between the 1928-S (2.6 million) and the 1924-S (2.9 million).
Recessed dates protect the year (1925 to 1930)
In 1925 the Mint cut the date into a recessed area of the step, so it no longer stood above the surface and survived heavy wear. Quarters of 1925 to 1930 therefore usually show full dates even in the lowest grades, which makes them much easier to identify than earlier coins.
The 1927-S, with 396,000 struck, is the key of the recessed date years and is very rare with a full head. The 1926-D and 1926-S are also tough with full heads because of poor striking. The 1929-D, 1929-S and 1930-S are more common and make good choices for a type set. Production ended in 1930 at Philadelphia and San Francisco. No quarters were struck in 1931 before the Washington quarter took over in 1932.
How to recognize it
Liberty strides through a gateway with a shield raised in one hand and an olive branch in the other. The first coins of 1916 and 1917 show her bare-breasted; later coins cover her in chain mail. The reverse shows an eagle in flight. The date was raised on the step and wore away quickly until it was recessed in 1925. Collectors prize coins with a "full head" of fine detail.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Standing Liberty Quarter (1916–1930) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1926 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 2,700,000 |
| Face value | 25¢ |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper |
| Weight | 6.25 grams |
| Diameter | 24.3 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Silver content | 0.1808 troy oz (5.625 g) |
| Designer | Hermon A. MacNeil |
Other 1926 Standing Liberty Quarter issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 Standing Liberty Quarter | 11,316,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 oz |
| 1926-D Standing Liberty Quarter | 1,716,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 oz |
| 1926-S Standing Liberty Quarter | 2,700,000 | Circulation strike | 0.1808 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.