1886 Proof

Proof Seated Liberty Quarter delivery for 1886 came in at 886 pieces, modestly below the 930 figure of 1885 and inside the same small-batch band that runs through the end of the series. Philadelphia circulation production for 1886 ran at only 5,000 business strikes, the second-lowest figure in the entire Seated quarter series and below most Carson City Keys of the early 1870s. The 1886 quarter is therefore one of the structurally scarcest Philadelphia issues in the run under both production formats, with the Proof delivery actually exceeding business-strike production by a meaningful margin only in the 1879 to 1891 stretch. The site mintage of 886 reflects the actual Proof delivery and is correct on the catalog page.

Strike characteristics and authentication diagnostics align with the late-series Proof template. Brilliant Proof striking shows mirrored fields, sharp denticles, and squared rims, with the eagle's shield lines, leg feathers, and the banner motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" all at full strike depth. Cameo contrast, the visual difference between frosted devices and reflective fields, earns a CAM designation from PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, or NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company; heavier frost coverage across both sides earns Deep Cameo, written DCAM. The 1886 sits inside the smaller-mintage final stretch, which means CAM survivors are scarcer than the mid-1880s and DCAM coins draw substantial premiums. Weight should sit near 6.25 grams under the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 standard. Counterfeit risk stays low because the die-finishing complexity resists casual replication.

Market position is unusual because the business-strike 1886 is a recognized Semi-Key in its own right at a mintage of just 5,000 pieces, and circulated examples reach four-figure prices. With 886 Proofs against 5,000 business strikes, the Proof is actually the more available format in upper grades, and many date-set collectors take the Proof route as the practical path to a high-quality 1886 quarter. Combined PCGS and NGC certified Proof populations across all grades sit in the low hundreds. The buyer base draws from Seated quarter Proof set builders, With Motto type collectors, and date-run specialists working the 1875 to 1891 stretch. CAM and DCAM designations carry premiums, original cabinet patina outprices rebrightened pieces, and certification through a major grading service is the working baseline. For the broader story of Gobrecht's design, the 1892 Barber Quarter transition, and the series' proof program, see the Seated Liberty Quarter series history.