1916 Standing Liberty Quarter. AU-55 (PCGS).

A magnificent Choice About Uncirculated example of this famed Type I Standing Liberty quarter issue. Lustrous satin surfaces are untoned apart from faint, iridescent champagne-pink and gold highlights. Boldly defined in most areas with a pleasingly smooth appearance for the assigned grade. Hermon A. MacNeil's Standing Liberty quarter design of 1916 is generally considered one of the high-water marks of American coin design, along with the Winged Liberty (a.k.a. "Mercury") dime and Walking Liberty half dollar. Although it is widely believed that the addition of the chain mail to Liberty was precipitated due to widespread public outcry regarding the exposed breast, there is no evidence that this was the case. The chain mail was actually added to symbolize Liberty's preparedness to defend the nation with the coming of the United States' involvement in World War I. The 52,000 1916-dated quarters were struck late in the year and released in mid-January alongside the first 1917-dated quarters. The small mintage and the simultaneous release meant that interest in the new design was not confined to just the 1916 quarters and, with far more coins struck, the 1917 Type I is the issue that met most of the public demand for keepsakes of the new quarter design. Consequently, 1917 Type I quarters are far more available than their 1916 counterparts, the latter one of the most highly regarded and sought after 20th century U.S. Mint issues. The present coin is a superior circulated survivor that would serve as a highlight in an advanced numismatic cabinet.

PCGS# 5704. NGC ID: 242Y.

From the Abernathy Collection. Earlier from Heritage's Baltimore Signature Auction of March 2009, lot 1151.