1928-D

The 1928-D Standing Liberty Quarter saw Denver produce 1,627,600 pieces, a mintage that situates the date among the moderately scarce branch-mint issues of the late series. Like other Denver Standing Liberty Quarters from this period, the 1928-D generally exhibits stronger strike characteristics than its San Francisco contemporaries, with central detail, shield rivets, and eagle feather definition appearing on a higher percentage of surviving examples. This consistency in strike quality has helped the 1928-D become a popular target for collectors building a Full Head registry set, where the combination of reasonable mintage and dependable die work allows patient buyers to locate appealing examples without the extreme price pressure attached to the genuine keys and semi-keys of the run.

The design remains MacNeil's full Type 3 composition, with Liberty in her gateway holding shield and olive branch on the obverse, and the flying eagle with three stars below on the reverse. Genuine 1928-D quarters weigh 6.25 grams, measure 24.3 millimeters across, and feature a reeded edge in the standard 90 percent silver, 10 percent copper alloy. The D mintmark appears on the obverse above and to the left of the recessed date, and the MacNeil M monogram sits at the base of the shield. Authenticators verify that the D mintmark shows the proper Denver punch style, with soft serifs and the correct positioning, and confirm that the recessed date relief exhibits original mint quality rather than evidence of tooling. The relatively low mintage compared to Philadelphia output makes the 1928-D occasionally a target for added-mintmark counterfeiting, though less frequently than the 1927-S.

Mint State 1928-D examples command modest premiums in middle uncirculated grades, with prices accelerating sharply as Full Head designation enters consideration. PCGS and NGC populations show the date as conditionally scarce in the highest tiers despite reasonable availability in circulated grades. For comparative mintages across the series, see the Standing Liberty Quarter series history.