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Quarters of the United States from the Draped Bust to Washington

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United States Quarters

early quarters

The history of the United States twenty-five cent quarter coin begins in 1796 when it was first minted. The quarter coin was introduced as part of the Coinage Act of 1792, signed by President George Washington, which established the United States Mint and authorized the production of various denominations of coins, including the quarter dollar. The early quarter coins featured a draped bust of Liberty on the obverse, facing right, with flowing hair and a small cap. The reverse displayed an eagle with outstretched wings, perched on an olive branch and holding arrows in its talons, surrounded by a wreath. These early quarters were struck in 89.24% silver and 10.76% copper, and they had a diameter of 27 millimeters.

In 1804, the design of the quarter coin was changed to the Capped Bust type, with a new depiction of Liberty wearing a cap, facing left. The reverse still featured an eagle, but the design was updated with a larger eagle and a modified wreath. In 1838, the design of the quarter coin was changed again to the Seated Liberty type. The obverse depicted Liberty sitting on a rock, with a liberty pole and a shield, and the reverse featured an eagle with spread wings and a shield on its breast. The Seated Liberty quarter was minted until 1891, with several minor design changes over the years. In 1892, the Barber quarter was introduced, named after its designer, Charles E. Barber. The obverse featured a head of Liberty facing right, with a laurel wreath, and the reverse displayed an eagle with spread wings, perched on an olive branch and holding arrows. The Barber quarter was minted until 1916.

In 1916, the design of the quarter coin was changed again to the Standing Liberty type, designed by Hermon A. MacNeil. The obverse depicted Liberty standing with a shield and an olive branch, and the reverse featured an eagle in flight. The Standing Liberty quarter was minted until 1930, with some minor design changes during its production. In 1932, the current design of the quarter coin, known as the Washington quarter, was introduced to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. The obverse depicts a bust of Washington facing left, and the reverse displays an eagle with outstretched wings, perched on a bundle of arrows and an olive branch. The Washington quarter is still in production today, with occasional design changes for special editions and commemoratives.