This is a truly amazing and highly significant example of one of the leading rarities in the Standing Liberty quarter series of 1916 to 1930. Awash in silky smooth, satin to softly frosted luster, both sides are at the threshold of numismatic perfection. The surfaces are overall brilliant with just the lightest golden iridescence adorning the peripheries.
The strike is otherwise bold with the only mentionable softness of detail minor and confined to Libertys head, as is almost always the case for Mint State examples of the 1918/7-S. As one of the two highest graded survivors of this prized overdate known to the major certification services, this exquisite Superb Gem would serve as a focal point in the finest Standing Liberty quarter set.The 1918/7-S was created when Mint personnel reworked a leftover 1917-dated quarter die for use the following year.
This was done in the Philadelphia Mint, where all dies were prepared at that time, but after the addition of an S mintmark the die was earmarked for use in the San Francisco facility and shipped west accordingly. Once on the West Coast this overdate die struck an unknown, although presumably limited number of the 11,072,000 quarters attributed to the San Francisco Mint in 1918. Although the overdate feature is quite bold and easily discerned with the naked eye, it escaped the attention of numismatists until 1937, by which time the vast majority of examples produced had long since entered circulation.
Scarce even in worn condition, the 1918/7-S is very rare in Mint State with precious few coins having escaped the rigors of commercial use. Expertly preserved, as well, the remarkable Superb Gem offered here stands head and shoulders above virtually all other Mint State survivors known in terms of surface quality. An important highlight of this Rarities Auction, and a fleeting bidding opportunity for the astute collector.