Standing Liberty Quarters

The Standing Liberty quarter is a coin that was introduced by the United States Mint in 1916. The coin was designed by Hermon A. MacNeil, who won a competition held by the Mint to create a new design for the quarter. MacNeil’s design featured Lady Liberty standing on the obverse, holding a shield in her left hand and an olive branch in her right hand. The reverse featured an eagle in flight, with the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”

The coin was initially met with controversy, as some believed that Lady Liberty’s exposed breast on the obverse was too risqué for a coin. However, the design was ultimately approved and the Standing Liberty quarter was released into circulation.

In 1917, the design was modified to add chain mail to Lady Liberty’s exposed breast, in response to the initial criticism. The reverse was also modified to make the eagle larger and more prominent. The Standing Liberty quarter remained in production until 1930, when it was replaced by the Washington quarter. Today, the coin is highly sought after by collectors and is considered a classic American coin design.