Why is it that there are so few Unc. SLQs?

[Elcontador]

Of all of the coin series I collect (19th century through early 20th century), I see very few toned Unc. SLQs. I have 5 of them, in grades of 5 and 6 FH; two are toned. People who are familiar with / follow the series like these toned coins; those who aren't do not (like them).

 

Unc. toned SLQs which are universally deemed attractive are almost impossible to find. Most of these coins are blast white, or maybe have wisps of russet or champagne toning. Many ugly coins have splotchy toning; I've seen a number of them that look like a booger was left on the coin's surfaces!

 

A large quantity of Uncs. were saved in rolls (one of mine came from one of these rolls). The series terminated in 1930, at the start of the Great Depression. During the rest of the period of their mintage, excepting a year or two, the economy was generally good, which may explain why a number of them were saved.

 

The series has never been popular, so perhaps this may explain why coin doctors haven't flocked to it, unlike Capped Bust Halves.

 

Any thoughts / ideas on the topic are greatly appreciated!

 

Any

[supertooth]

Elcontador---- When I started collecting in 1955, I put aside all coins dated 1940 or before. It became clear to me that I would NEVER find a pre 1925 SLQ. Had many that graded a VF---without the date. So, back into circulation they went. Even had a bunch of 1916 or 17 coins---undated of course. Since at that time, to my knowledge there was NO way to tell the difference, I finally gave up keeping even those coins.

 

I managed to get all the coins from 25--30 in good to XF condition. I even got a 1919 that had a clear date. But my best graded coin out of all of them was about an XF--Au 1930.

 

Years went by---I always liked the design of the coin. Had bought several accumulations of coins. All pretty much as my grouping had been. Then one day on Ebay I saw a really nice toned 1918. So I bought it for 100 bucks. It had a lot of nice NT toning---that I had rarely seen on any SLQ. So---here was my type coin. NGC gave it a grade of 62. That coin was far from a FH.

 

Then I ran into a very nice 1919---also original skinned. This coin did have a full head. Also nicely toned. I had acquired it years before and, because of a scratch, had forgot about it. Just the other day I found it again. Decided it was a lovely coin---scratch and all. Wondered if NGC would grade it? Then thought maybe just send it to ANACS.

 

Granted my experiences are only with circulated coins. But, I have a feeling that the worn off dates turned an awful lot of folks off of collecting the SLQ series. I used to say that I could stand there and hold a SLQ and watch the date disappear before my eyes. To this day, I have NEVER actively gone after them because of this fact. I could not wait to get that 1918 coin into a holder.

 

I have a feeling that most of the real high graded MS coins had to have been saved in rolls. Therefore, many white coins with few toners. These days those 'white' coins have been mostly dipped that I have seen. Consequently, I still have stayed away from the series---even though I still find it an extremely nice looking design. Bob [supertooth]

[Dcoin]

I think the lack of toned and unc. SLQ likely comes from the societal factors of that era.

 

1) The depression era coins were almost always circulated. .25 cense was a lot of money in a time when there was not much to go around. So, if you had it, you spent it.

2) Toning, at least the market acceptable kind, takes years to accumulate. These coins never sat around for that long. Toned Mogans are numerous because they sat around in bags for decades. This was simply not the case with SLQ.

 

That said it is a lovely coin to collect.

[WoodenJefferson]

Since I can remember and that goes back to the late 50's, early 60's, the Standing Liberty Quarter was never really a HOT collectable in Numismatics. During this time frame, it seemed like everybody was collecting the Lincoln cent, Buffalo nickels, Mercury Dimes, Walking Liberty halves and the Morgan & Peace dollars. The SLQ's just never seemed to fit in anywhere to the scale that these other coins were collected. I do not know how to explain that phenomenon other than the early years of the SLQ's may pre-date what was obtainable on the market during this time frame, I just know it was not a widely collect series.

 

 

This may explain why there are so few “collector” examples remaining, the collector base was so thin, none of the really fine examples existed in any great quantities.

 

Just a thought…can you imagine how many SLQ’s have seen the inside of a smelter?

 

note: I also base some of my reckoning on what my Father collected in the 40's, 50's and 60's, not just my own knowledge of this hobby which took off in and around1964. With the advent of clad coinage on the horizon, I knew I had to get busy and quick. The only SLQ's in circulation in 1964 were slicks (dateless or near dateless) coins which I did not save. The catalog companies were pushing what collectors were buying back then and it wasn't SLQ's but they were obtainable in most dates and grades for a nonimal price. Hind sight is 20-20...if you only knew what those same coins would bring today...but then again all things being relevant, $5-$8 then is like $50-$80 now. So, a $27 SLQ in 1964 would bring about 10x now or $270...samo-samo.

 

edit: check out what was written in 1964 at the bottom of the SLQ page from the 1964 Blue Book.

[TomB]

I believe a reason why you don't see many toned SLQs are that there were neither mint sets nor proof sets issued during this series. The US Mint halted public access to proof silver coinage with the end of the Barber series and did not resume general proof coinage until 1936, slightly after the SLQ series ended. Additionally, the double-cardboard US Mint sets that are so famous for producing deeply, and/or wildly toned Washington quarters were not issued until 1947.

[SkyMan]

It makes sense with the date wear issue that many of the collector coins these days would be roll based. Having said that, I have never seen an end of roll SLQ with the linear patterns one would associate with paper being folded over at the end of a roll. Has anyone out there seen this sort of a pattern?

[lkenefic]

I think alot of these comments are true. The SLQ was never a popular series when I was growing up (1970's) for two reasons I can remember...1. getting coins with dates pre-1925 was a struggle and.. 2. getting a 1916 was all but impossible on just lawn-mowing money. I think alot of those date-less SLQs saw the inside of a smelter when the Hunt Bros tried to corner the silver market in the early 80's. ..perhaps even some Uncs... when silver got to be over $50/oz nothing was sacred!

 

Leo

[Elcontador]

Skyman - I have 28S in FH 5 that was part of an original roll which was sold at the 1988 ANA. It's an irridescently toned coin (don't know whether it's an "end roller.)" Truthteller has seen the coin; I've only seen two others that remotely look like this one.

[bsshog40]

Skyman - I have 28S in FH 5 that was part of an original roll which was sold at the 1988 ANA. It's an irridescently toned coin (don't know whether it's an "end roller.)" Truthteller has seen the coin; I've only seen two others that remotely look like this one.

 

And your not going to show us!!

[MikeKing]

All I can say is that the SLQ is one of the most beautiful designs I've ever seen in a coin.

[SkyMan]

Skyman - I have 28S in FH 5 that was part of an original roll which was sold at the 1988 ANA. It's an irridescently toned coin (don't know whether it's an "end roller.)" Truthteller has seen the coin; I've only seen two others that remotely look like this one.

 

And your not going to show us!!

 

Yeah, have you got a pic? Pretty please, with sugar on top? Here's an image of what I mean by a linear pattern endroller.

 

[Elcontador]

Nope, nothing personal, but I don't do pics. The scanner at my desk is document, not coin friendly. Besides, my toned SLQs would not scan well.

[World Colonial]

I just looked in the Heritage auction archives. It lists almost 15,000 which is second among quarters. It also looks like over 100 sold in the last week from a variety of dates and grades (from fine to MS-67). The few that I looked at were not toned but as a coin type they seem to be available.

[D.D.]

White or toned the SLQ is a very nice coin. I really like the reverse of this 17...

 

[WoodenJefferson]

Nice D.D.

[just-john]

YUP when silver peaked in 79/80 i sold most of my SLQ and most of my washington quarters think they were going for $8.50

TO $9.00 each so for $80 to $90 a roll seemed like the thing to do remember a Grand Prix was $7700.00 loaded a Machinist at Westinghouse made $7.45 hr. Don't know if these were keep or melted.Nice coins from the late 20s are hard to come across try finding 1/4

eagle indian head from 28 or 29 above MS65 good luck

[SkyMan]

Nice lookin' reverse, DD!

[jom]

 

Oh..yeah. Soooo hard to find.

 

 

jom

[Elcontador]

Jom, you didn't get that in change at Walmart!

[jom]

Jom, you didn't get that in change at Walmart!

 

Yes I did.

 

 

 

jom

[WoodenJefferson]

jom...glad you have a sense of humor, but we all know those are the real deal 1917 SLQ's, one with stars on the sides, the other with the 3 stars under the eagle.

 

Beautiful coins and excellent examples...thanks for sharing!

 

[jom]

jom...glad you have a sense of humor

 

You think I was joking? What was it that PT Barnum said?

 

 

jom

[Elcontador]

Jom - Bet the second coin is in an NGC holder. PC does not like assigning high grades to deep, originally toned SLQs. And thanks; these two coins were exactly the sort I brought up in the thread.

[jom]

Jom - Bet the second coin is in an NGC holder. PC does not like assigning high grades to deep, originally toned SLQs. And thanks; these two coins were exactly the sort I brought up in the thread.

 

I'm curious now. What grades do you think they are? Forget the FH thing...just the grade.

 

Here's some help (maybe): Both are graded by PCGS.

 

jom

[jom]

Just wanted to add: I think the SLQ is not popular because there aren't any "late dates" to give collectors something to collect. I believe the Walker and the Merc would suffer the same fate if their designs had been changed like the SLQ. If all you had to collect was early Walkers most people would give up in frustration....

 

jom

[SLQS-migration]

DITTO! MINE ARE BURIED!

[SLQS-migration]

THERE IS ALOT OF UNC. SLQS OUT THERE! YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THEM, PLUS PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DRIVE PRICES UP! MOST MY 65FH UP SETS ARE IN DOCTORS HOUSES NOW!

[Elcontador]

Jom, the lighting on your photo images makes it very hard for me to distinguish contact marks / friction on the devices.

[jom]

Jom, the lighting on your photo images makes it very hard for me to distinguish contact marks / friction on the devices.

 

Understood. BTW, those aren't my photos.

 

jom

[just carl]

I think the lack of toned and unc. SLQ likely comes from the societal factors of that era.

 

1) The depression era coins were almost always circulated. .25 cense was a lot of money in a time when there was not much to go around. So, if you had it, you spent it.

2) Toning, at least the market acceptable kind, takes years to accumulate. These coins never sat around for that long. Toned Mogans are numerous because they sat around in bags for decades. This was simply not the case with SLQ.

 

That said it is a lovely coin to collect.

That is exactly what I think also. Most of these coins had to be used since a quarter bought a lot of stuff back then. World War 1, depression, hard times made saving for collecting was just not in the average household ideas. Loaf of bread was only a Nickel. Also, the date on those was the first thing to go so again not a great collectable. To this day, not a real biggy at coin shows.