1838 Liberty Seated Quarter Error List with Pictures
A missing piece of rim can be more interesting than it first appears. For a genuine clipped 1838 Seated quarter in circulated condition, the estimated whole-coin range is $150–$1,000.
This 1838 Liberty Seated quarter error list centers on a rim-clip example cataloged by GreatCollections in September 2024. Its public record identifies the coin, but does not reveal its sale price.
Follow the edge checks below to separate a blank-making error from a damaged rim.
1838 Liberty Seated Quarter Rim Clip
A portion of the edge is missing from the quarter cataloged in the Rippere collection. GreatCollections described it as an 1838 Seated No Drapery quarter with a rim clip, graded ANACS F12 Details.
A genuine clip begins before the coin is struck, when the metal blank is made incomplete. The surrounding design then forms around that existing gap.
F12 describes a worn coin, while Details indicates an additional condition problem. The short listing does not name that problem.
This is the seated figure design. The Capped Bust quarter also made in 1838 is a different coin.
Estimated Value
An estimated $150–$1,000 applies to genuine rim-clipped examples in circulated condition. The size of the missing section, original surfaces, and remaining detail all affect the whole-coin price.
The GreatCollections archive lists the ANACS F12 Details example in its September 29, 2024 sale. The accessible listing hides the realized amount, so this range is an estimate.
A Details coin should be compared with examples having similar wear and surface problems.
How to Identify
Confirm the seated figure, readable 1838 date, and quarter denomination before examining the edge. The normal No Drapery design is not itself an error.
Inspect the missing section with a magnifier from both faces and in profile. Look for how the struck border meets the gap, rather than accepting any chip in the rim as a clip.
A loose normal quarter of this type is about 6.68 grams and 24.3 millimeters across. Use a scale and calipers for a candidate, remembering that wear and missing metal can reduce its weight.
Tool cuts, filing lines, or pushed-up metal suggest later damage. Compare the adjoining original design and edge to see whether the gap was present when the coin was struck.
Conclusion
For circulated examples, the estimated $150–$1,000 range depends on a genuine rim clip and the condition of the entire coin. The cataloged F12 Details piece provides an 1838 Seated example without a publicly visible sale amount.
Identify the design first, then inspect both sides of the missing section. A natural-looking gap still needs the surrounding strike to support its origin before minting.