1873 Arrows Proof

The 1873 Arrows Proof is the post-Coinage-Act Philadelphia Proof delivery, struck on the new 6.25-gram weight standard authorized by the Act of February 12, 1873 and marked by the addition of arrows flanking the date on the obverse. Recorded Proof mintage for the Arrows variant is approximately 540 pieces, smaller than the pre-Act No Arrows delivery and the lowest Proof figure of the brief Arrows revival that ran from February 1873 through the end of 1874. The arrows would remain on quarters through the 1874 production run and then be removed for 1875, leaving the 1873 Arrows and 1874 Arrows as the only With Motto, With Arrows Proofs of the entire Seated quarter series. The figure shown on the catalog page reflects circulation output for the year; the actual Arrows Proof figure is around 540 pieces.

Strike and authentication diagnostics turn on the date area and the weight. Brilliant Proof striking on the Arrows dies shows fully mirrored fields, sharp denticles around the entire circumference, and squared rims, with Liberty's head and the eagle's leg feathers at full strike depth. The diagnostic against the No Arrows variant is the obverse date area: sharply struck raised arrows flank the date on both sides on the Arrows piece, while the No Arrows shows a clean date area. Weight should fall near 6.25 grams under the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873; weight under 6.24 grams indicates a No Arrows piece. The reverse continues to show "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the banner above the eagle, since the motto carried through the weight transition. Cameo contrast, the frosted-devices-against-mirrored-fields appearance designated CAM by PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, appears with reasonable regularity on the delivery and reads as a clear premium attribute.

Market position carries the small Arrows mintage, the two-year subtype scarcity, and the transition-year context. With Motto With Arrows type-set builders, Seated quarter Proof date set collectors, and design-transition specialists draw on the same narrow supply pool, and the demand from buyers chasing a complete Arrows subtype Proof pair across 1873 and 1874 pushes prices above what the figure alone would suggest. Attractive PR64 to PR66 examples trade at firm levels, with original cabinet toning consistently outperforming brightened surfaces. Cameo examples step up a tier in price, and Deep Cameo from the year is a stand-alone purchase. Certification through a major grading service is the working baseline. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design and the series' proof program, see the Seated Liberty Quarter series history.