1918/7-S Standing Liberty Quarter. FS-101. MS-63 (PCGS). CAC.An exceptionally well preserved and attractive example of this challenging variety that is sure to catch the eye of astute collectors. Fully Choice in quality, both sides of this lovely example exhibit soft mint luster in a billowy frosty texture. Delicate golden-apricot toning is a bit more prevalent on the obverse. The strike is remarkably sharp for the variety, most design elements at least boldly defined and all three leaves on Libertys head clear. As the only overdate and, indeed, major variety in the Standing Liberty quarter series of 1916 to 1930, the popularity of the 1918/7-S with specialists knows no bounds. This is a premium quality coin for both the variety and the assigned grade that is worthy of the strongest bids. The end of the First World War and the immediate post-War era saw a great need for circulating coinage in the booming economy of the United States. To supply enough working dies to all of the operational mints, the engraving department at the Philadelphia Mint undoubtedly went through periods of time when it was simultaneously producing dies for multiple years production. One of those time periods was the end of 1917, when dies for both 1917- and 1918-dated coinage were being prepared. Researcher J.H. Cline presents this variety as a conventional repunched date, but more recent scholarship suggests that it is most likely a product of a hub error. One obverse die for the Standing Liberty quarter received its first impression from a 1917-dated hub, but its second either purposely or inadvertently from a 1918-dated hub, creating the 1918/7 overdate. An S mintmark was applied and the die was shipped to the West Coast for use at the San Francisco Mint, where it struck an unknown, although presumably limited number of the 11,072,000 quarters struck in that facility during 1918. (The origins of another classic 20th century overdate -- the 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel -- are identical in both time and cause.)The 1918/7-S remained unknown to the numismatic community until 1937, the overdate making its first appearance in the <em>Standard Catalog</em> in 1942. The intervening 19 years between this overdates production and its numismatic discovery were sufficient to see the wear, if not loss, of most examples through circulation. Indeed, survivors are highly elusive in all grades, and they are nothing short of rare in Mint State. Over the years our offerings for Uncirculated examples have been few and far between, and each has resulted in strong competition among astute bidders. We certainly anticipate the same greeting for this inviting piece.From the John Whitney Walter Collection.
