1918

The 1918 Standing Liberty Quarter rolled off Philadelphia presses during the final year of the First World War, when American factories were stretched between wartime contracts and the ordinary demands of commerce. With a mintage of 14,240,000, this issue circulated heavily through a domestic economy adjusting to victory bonds, influenza, and the early stages of postwar inflation. The coin belongs to the Type 2 modification introduced in mid-1917, after Hermon Atkins MacNeil reworked Liberty's chest with protective chain mail and lifted the eagle to a higher reverse position. Philadelphia's 1918 production ran on hardened working dies that produced sharper rims than the branch mints, though strike quality across the year varied. Surviving examples reflect typical date-wear weakness common to the early type before the recessed date arrived in 1925.

MacNeil's obverse shows Liberty striding through a gateway, olive branch raised in her right hand and shield held forward in her left. The 1918 Philadelphia issue carries no mintmark, while the designer's "M" monogram sits at the base of the shield to the right of the date. Specifications follow the standard pattern: 90% silver and 10% copper, weight 6.25 grams, diameter 24.3 mm, with a reeded edge of 119 reeds. Authentication generally focuses on weight tolerance and edge integrity, since cast counterfeits often show seam irregularities at the reeding. Genuine examples display crisp inner shield rivets and clean separation between Liberty's gown folds and the gateway columns. Hairline marks across the high points of the head and right knee are the first indicators of light circulation, and any retained mint luster in the protected fields around the date suggests an above-average preservation.

Population reports from PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) show the 1918 Philadelphia issue as common through About Uncirculated, but full-head Mint State coins remain scarce. Heritage Auctions records show consistent demand at the MS-65 FH level, where price spreads widen sharply. Read the full Standing Liberty Quarter series history.