Alan P. writes: Hello. I have several dateless Standing Liberty Quarters. They are all the type 1, bare breast. Some time ago I read an article (in Coin World) that told how to tell the difference between a 1917 type one and a 1916. It had something to do with the berries in Liberty’s right hand. Can you help?
There are several design differences between the 1916 quarter and later years. Here is a few characteristics that should help. Get a 10x glass to see the details easily:
- The gown folds on Miss Liberty’s leg doesn’t touch her leg.
- The Reed above Miss Liberty’s head is cut in half to make room for her head.
- Miss Liberty’s fingers have no separation on the 1916. They look like a blob. Miss Liberty’s fingers are separated on the later dates.
