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Quarter · $0.25
1856-S Seated Liberty Quarter (1838-1891)
FS-501
Key Features
FS-501: Large S over Small s mintmark (S/s) [Cross-ref: Briggs 4-E] Source: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/5441 This robust design run bore witness to massive gold discoveries, Western frontier settlement, and deep wartime duress.
Intriguing History
In 1856, sectional tensions over slavery were pushing the country toward crisis -- the Dred Scott decision, the Panic of 1857, and violent conflict in "Bleeding Kansas" all unfolded in these years, while the Mint retired the old large copper cent for a smaller, more efficient coin. This Seated Liberty quarter, in production for more than half a century, was struck during exactly this period. This one came from the San Francisco Mint, opened in 1854 to coin the flood of West Coast bullion.
Total Weight6.25 g