1925

The 1925 Standing Liberty Quarter inaugurated the Type 3 design, introducing a recessed date positioned below the field surface rather than raised above it. The change responded to a well-documented problem: dates on Type 1 and Type 2 quarters wore away within just a few years of circulation, leaving countless quarters unidentifiable by year and frustrating collectors and commerce alike. By recessing the date into a small depression, the Mint protected the numerals from the abrasion of pocket wear and stacking pressure. Philadelphia struck 12,280,000 Type 3 quarters in this first recessed-date year, and the redesign proved so effective that all subsequent issues through 1930 retained the feature. Collectors today routinely encounter heavily circulated Type 2 quarters with fully worn dates, a sharp contrast to even worn Type 3 examples.

Specifications remain unchanged from earlier issues: 90% silver and 10% copper, 6.25 grams, 24.3 mm, reeded edge. The obverse retains Hermon Atkins MacNeil's chain-mail Liberty with stars on the perimeter and the "M" monogram at the shield base. The reverse shows the same eagle composition with three stars below. Strike quality on 1925 Philadelphia quarters tends to be reasonably good, with central head detail often better defined than on the San Francisco and Denver issues of preceding years. Full Head designation continues to require complete leaf detail, a defined ear hole, and a clear hairline. Authentication is rarely problematic for this date in circulated grades, though cleaned examples remain a persistent marketplace concern.

PCGS and NGC certification populations show the 1925 widely available through MS-65, with premiums rising for superb gem and Full Head examples. Heritage Auctions records confirm steady collector interest in this transitional first-year Type 3 issue, and the date pairs naturally with the 1924 Philadelphia issue to illustrate the design change in side-by-side displays. Stack's Bowers archives indicate consistent results in choice and gem condition. Explore the full Standing Liberty Quarter series history.