1881 Quarter Error List with Pictures
Tiny curves inside a date can reveal a correction made before a coin was struck. An 1881 Proof with that feature brought a $3,250 hammer price in September 2026, before the buyer’s fee.
This 1881 quarter errors guide covers a repunched date and a small fiber mark on Proofs, coins specially made for collectors. Estimated whole-coin values span $500–$9,000, depending heavily on condition.
Read on to find the date remnants and the separate mark beside the eagle’s arrows.
1881 Liberty Seated Quarter Proof Lint Mark
A short, threadlike mark appears beside the highest arrowhead on one 1881 Proof quarter. Heritage described it as a lint mark made at the Mint.
A loose fiber can become trapped during striking and leave its outline in the surface. The mark is small enough to be mistaken for later damage.
The documented coin was graded NGC PR66 Cameo, indicating a well-preserved collector coin with contrasting frosted designs and reflective backgrounds. It also has the repunched date discussed below.
That date feature and the fiber mark have different causes.
Estimated Value
For an 1881 Proof with a small genuine lint mark, estimate $500–$4,000 across a broad range of preservation. A tiny mark alone does not make a worn or cleaned Proof comparable to a beautiful PR66.
The recent $3,250 hammer sale discussed below supports the general price level for a fine Proof of this date. It is a different coin, with no lint mark identified in its description.
How to Identify
Turn the coin to the eagle side and locate the group of arrowheads. The documented mark is just to the right of the highest one, not across the date.
Use a magnifier and move a lamp to either side. Changing the light helps reveal the mark’s outline against the smooth, reflective background.
A scratch can leave a sharp groove with displaced metal along its edges. A tiny line needs closer comparison before it is called a fiber impression.
Heritage’s description of the PR66 Cameo example gives the specific location. Compare that area with its photographs, without rubbing the surface or opening a sealed holder.
Focus on the short mark beside the uppermost arrowhead rather than every faint line in the mirrors.
1881 Liberty Seated Quarter Repunched Date
Look inside the two 8s, where small extra curves remain from an earlier date impression. The first date was entered at a downward angle in the die, the tool that stamps the coin.
The Mint worker removed most of that impression and entered the date again. Parts of the earlier digits survived the correction.
Collectors identify this Proof variety as Flynn RPD001, also called Briggs 2-B. Those names help match the same pattern on different coins.
The extra curves are part of the struck design, rather than two complete dates from a second strike.
Estimated Value
CNG sold a PCGS PR66+ Cameo example for a $3,250 hammer price on September 16, 2026. The buyer’s fee was additional.
Estimate $500–$9,000 for this repunched-date Proof across worn examples through exceptionally preserved pieces. PR66+ describes a very well-preserved Proof; Cameo refers to frosted designs against reflective backgrounds.
Visible date remnants help identify the variety, while surface marks, cleaning, color, and overall preservation strongly affect the whole-coin price.
How to Identify
The two 8s provide a useful pair of checkpoints. Under a 10× magnifier, examine the upper loop of the first 8 and the lower loop of the second.
CNG describes remnants in those locations on its recent example. Compare their shapes with close-up photographs rather than relying on a generally thick-looking date.
Keep the coin level while changing the direction of the light. A reflection may shift or disappear, but an actual raised curve remains in the same place.
Then compare the whole date and establish the Proof finish from the complete coin or its grading label. An ordinary quarter does not become a Proof because one digit looks unusual.
Both 8s should show the matching earlier outlines; one isolated scratch inside a loop is not enough.
Conclusion
For these 1881 Proof features, estimated whole-coin values range from $500–$9,000. Surface quality and preservation explain much of that spread.
The repunched date can be matched through the shapes inside the two 8s. The tiny fiber mark belongs beside the highest arrowhead on a documented example.
Check each feature separately, but value a coin carrying both as one collectible.