1924-S

San Francisco struck 2,860,000 Standing Liberty Quarters in 1924, a moderate mintage that nonetheless produces one of the more challenging Type 2 issues in higher grades. West Coast commerce in the mid-1920s ran hot, and quarters released into Pacific circulation channels saw heavy use across California, Oregon, and Washington. The result is a date that survives in considerable quantities in circulated condition but presents real difficulty for collectors pursuing mint state examples with sharp central detail. The 1924-S is often described by series specialists as one of the more strike-sensitive issues of the period, with weak heads, soft shield rivets, and incomplete eagle breast feathers common even on otherwise high-grade examples. These production characteristics make Full Head 1924-S quarters genuinely scarce and historically expensive in gem condition.

Composition matches the series standard at 90% silver and 10% copper, with a weight of 6.25 grams, 24.3 mm diameter, and reeded edge. Type 2 obverse and reverse designs apply, with Liberty in chain mail and the eagle accompanied by three stars below. The "S" mintmark appears above and to the left of the date in the period-appropriate San Francisco style. Authentication should consider both mintmark legitimacy and overall originality, given that cleaned and lightly polished examples have circulated widely in the marketplace. The MacNeil "M" monogram at the shield base provides another diagnostic anchor, and original surfaces typically display a soft satin luster rather than the harsh brightness of altered coins.

PCGS and NGC populations confirm the 1924-S as obtainable in circulated and lower mint state grades, with sharp price escalation at MS-65 and above. Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers have realized robust results for Full Head certified examples, with the relative scarcity of well-struck pieces driving premiums far above what the published mintage alone might suggest. The date often determines completion difficulty for collectors pursuing the full San Francisco run in high grade. Continue with the Standing Liberty Quarter series history.