Biill Jones Basic Type set with out gold
25C STANDING LIBERTY, TYPE 2 (1917-1930)

Owner Comments:

Midway through 1917 Congress passed legislation to modify the Standing Liberty quarter design. Specifically the legislation authorized that the eagle on the reverse was to be raised higher in the field and that three of the thirteen stars were to be placed below the bird. There was also wording calling for an increase in the concavity of the fields. At any rate the legislation did not call for alterations to Ms. Liberty’s dress, but that would be the most noticeable change.

For years it was claimed that there had been a public outcry over Ms. Liberty’s “indecent exposure” despite that fact the contemporary accounts to that end have been found. More recently researcher Roger Burdette has written that the modifications were symbolic of the nation arming itself for entry into the First World War.

Whatever the reasons for the change, the results to the design from a technical perspective were catastrophic. Although the first design had suffered from technical problems the vast majority of the coins struck at the Philadelphia mint had shown all of their detail. After the Type II design came on line only a tiny percentage of the coins were well struck. Modern collectors describe the well-struck coins as having a “full head,” but many details on the shield, gown and toes were often weak or missing. Indeed a “full head” coin can show weakness in the other areas and still be considered choice. Full struck coins with all of the design details well defined are rare.

Another weak point was the date. Your author has seen strictly Mint State coins that had dates that were almost unreadable. After a comparatively brief time in circulation such coin is grades like Very Fine would have become dateless. This defect would not be addressed until 1925. At the time it would create another minor type in the Standing Liberty quarter series.