1887 Proof

Proof Seated Liberty Quarter delivery for 1887 came in at 710 pieces, the smallest Proof figure since 1877 and a step into the final five years of the series where Proof deliveries cluster between six hundred and eight hundred pieces annually. Philadelphia circulation production for 1887 ran at 10,000 business strikes, again well below typical Philadelphia output for the denomination and keeping the late-series pattern of a near-comparable Proof and circulation supply firmly in place. The site mintage of 710 reflects the actual Proof delivery and is correct on the catalog page. Treasury silver continued flowing primarily toward Morgan dollar coinage, which absorbed most of the available bullion and left fractional silver work at minimal volume.

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 on both sides earns Deep Cameo, written DCAM. The 710-piece delivery means CAM survivors appear at a lower rate in major-service populations than the 1880 to 1885 cluster, and DCAM coins are notably scarce. Weight should sit near 6.25 grams under the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873 standard. Counterfeit risk stays low because the die-finishing process resists casual replication.

Market position reflects the smaller delivery and the matching business-strike scarcity. Combined PCGS and NGC certified Proof populations across all grades sit in the low hundreds, lower than the 1880 to 1885 cluster and characteristic of the final five years of the series. The buyer base draws from Seated quarter Proof set builders, With Motto type collectors completing a Proof example, and date-run specialists working the 1875 to 1891 stretch. Because the 10,000 circulation strike for 1887 is a Semi-Key in its own right, the Proof frequently serves as the more available path to a high-grade 1887 quarter. CAM and DCAM designations carry significant 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.