Draped Bust Quarter Small Eagle (1796) The Act of April 1792 authorized a number of coins to be struck by the new Mint facilities. The fledgling nation eagerly wanted to create its own species and Robert Scot designed the first silver coins to roll off the presses at the Philadelphia location. Quarters were not among these and production didn’t begin for the denomination until 1796 with Scot’s draped bust design. His obverse Liberty on the quarter was surrounded by 15 stars. The initial year featured a thinner eagle reverse designed by Gilbert Stuart. It was surrounded by a wreath and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. No denomination was inscribed. The quarter denomination was not popular and the small eagle design was discontinued. No other quarters were struck until eight years later. This one year type is elusive with just 6,146 originally struck and is considered one of the crowning achievements in U.S. collecting.
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