1855 Arrows

The 1855 Philadelphia quarter is the final year of the Arrows-at-date design that began with the 1853 Coinage Act weight reduction. Production fell sharply from the 12.38 million coins struck in 1854 to 2,857,000 in 1855, reflecting both adequate stockpiles of the lighter coin already in circulation and shifting bullion priorities at the parent mint. The Arrows remain at the date on the obverse, the reverse field stays open with no rays around the eagle, and the design closes out three years of weight-flag markings before the 1856 reset to a standard form. The 6.22 gram weight standard set by the Coinage Act of February 21, 1853 carries through unchanged.

Strike quality runs typical of mid-decade Philadelphia work: full heraldic detail on the reverse when the dies are fresh, with some softness creeping into the head and the central stars as dies aged through their runs. Authentication is straightforward, since the arrows at the date are the diagnostic feature and counterfeits at the type level are essentially unknown for so common a Philadelphia issue. PCGS and NGC population reports show the bulk of survivors in VF through AU, with Mint State examples available but more selective than the 1854. MS64 and above coins are condition-conscious purchases; MS65 and higher are scarce enough that registry-set buyers compete openly when fresh original-skin coins appear. Toning quality matters: heavily dipped white pieces look harsh on the open reverse and trade behind originally toned examples at the same numerical grade.

The coin carries the Regular classification and serves a date-set collector as the cap on the Arrows subtype, often paired with the 1853 Arrows and Rays and the 1854 Arrows in a three-coin Arrows-era display. Acquisition advice is short: buy certified by PCGS or NGC, prioritize originality, and accept that supply at MS65 and higher will set the price ceiling rather than published guides. The 1855 sits comfortably below the 1855-S in scarcity but its lower mintage relative to 1854 makes higher-grade examples worth the extra search. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1853 Coinage Act and Arrows transition, and the series' production arc, see the Seated Liberty Quarter series history.