1898 Quarter Value Checker: Errors List, “O”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

The 1898 Barber Quarter is a piece of American numismatic history — struck at all three active mints in 1898 (Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San Francisco) following the economic recovery of the era, resulting in relatively high mintages across all three facilities.

Two critical factors drive its value: the specific mint variety and, above all, the coin’s condition — with well-preserved examples commanding prices dramatically higher than their worn counterparts.

Prices range from as low as $25.80 for a circulated No Mint Mark example all the way to $7,500.00 for an MS-grade 1898-O — with a record-setting MS68 specimen selling for $58,750 at Heritage Auctions in 2014.

If you’re holding one of these coins and wondering what it’s actually worth, the 1898 Quarter Value guide below will walk you through every variable that matters.

 

1898 Quarter Value By Variety

The 1898 quarter was struck at three mints, and each carries a different value. If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 10 Most Valuable Quarter Coins In Circulation Worth Money (With Pictures)

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1898 Quarter Worth Money

The Philadelphia MS69 at $73,438 sits alone at the top — not because Philadelphia quarters are rare, but because finding any coin from 1898 in MS69 is effectively a once-in-a-generation event. The grade itself is the scarcity.

The 1898-O tells a different story. Its MS68 record of $58,750 isn’t just impressive — it’s the coin punching above its weight. New Orleans production that year was modest, survivors are few, and the ones that escaped circulation intact have clearly found an audience willing to pay for it. The MS66 at $22,913 suggests the market thins out fast below that threshold.

The 1898-S numbers are quieter, and there’s a reason for that. A significant portion of high-grade S-mint quarters came back from the Philippines after the Spanish-American War heavily cleaned, permanently knocking them out of serious contention. The $20,400 MS68 is what survived that history.

The PR69 at $27,025 sits in its own category entirely. Proof collectors aren’t buying survival — they’re buying perfection of manufacture, and at that grade, the population is thin enough that price becomes almost secondary to availability.

 

History of the 1898 Quarter

The Barber quarter didn’t come from a smooth design process. By the late 1880s, the Seated Liberty design had worn out its welcome with the American public, and the pressure to replace it eventually forced the Mint’s hand.

In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed legislation opening all U.S. coin denominations to redesign after 25 years in production — giving the Mint the legal opening it had been waiting for.

New Mint Director Edward Leech launched a design competition but structured it so poorly — offering only a $500 prize with no guarantee of selection — that most invited artists simply declined to participate.

With no viable submissions in hand, Leech had little choice but to turn to Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber. After a prolonged back-and-forth over rejected models, Barber finally produced a design that cleared Leech’s approval. The coins entered production in January 1892, and the series ran until 1916.

By 1898, the Barber quarter was six years into its run. The U.S. economy had recovered from the depression of the early 1890s, and the Mint responded accordingly — all three mints, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San Francisco, recorded relatively high mintages that year compared to previous years. Philadelphia dominated production, accounting for nearly 80% of all quarters struck in 1898, while San Francisco contributed just 8%. That production imbalance matters to collectors today.

The 1898 quarter may not be a key date, but it carries more history per coin than most collectors expect.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Quarters Worth Money List (1965-Present)

 

Is Your 1898 Quarter Rare?

The rarity of your 1898 quarter depends entirely on which mint struck it — and the gap between varieties is wider than most people expect. The 1898-S ranks 3rd in the entire Barber Quarter series with a Divine rating of 91, while the 1898 DCAM sits at the opposite end with a score of 48, ranked 121st. To see exactly where your coin stands, check the Coin Value Checker App for a full rarity breakdown by variety and grade.

 

Key Features of the 1898 Quarter

Let’s now look at the physical characteristics of the 1898 quarter. Knowing these features will help with grading and authenticating your silver quarter and identifying rare Barber quarters worth adding to your collection.

The Obverse of the 1898 Quarter

The “heads” features a right-facing Liberty adorned in a Phrygian cap and a laurel band around her head with the inscription LIBERTY at the front.

The national motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, is etched above Lady Liberty while the date, 1898, is shown at the bottom of her portrait.

Thirteen stars representing the original states encircle Liberty’s portrait. Six are positioned on the left side and seven on the right.

The Reverse of the 1898 Quarter

The “tails” side features the iconic Heraldic Eagle with a shield on its breast, which is symbolic of independence and sovereignty.

The eagle holds an olive branch in its left talon, representing peace and a bunch of arrows in the right talon symbolizing victory and readiness to defend the nation against any aggression.

In addition, the eagle clenches a flag in its beak with the Latin motto, E PLURIBUS UNUM, which translates to, “OUT OF MANY, ONE.”

Above the eagle’s head is a constellation of thirteen stars, representing the original thirteen states. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are inscribed in an arch at the top while the denomination, QUARTER DOLLAR, is etched on the opposite side at the bottom. The two inscriptions are separated by two periods, one on the left and the other on the right.

Other Features of the 1898 Quarter

Additional features of the 1898 quarter include:

• Diameter: 24.30 millimeters
• Weight: 6.30 grams
• Edge: Reeded
• Metal Composition:90% Silver, 10% Copper

Also Read: Top 30 Most Valuable State Quarter Coins Worth Money List

 

1898 Quarter Mintage & Survival Data

Over 13 million 1898 quarters left the Mint across all three facilities, yet fewer than 18,650 are confirmed to have survived in collectible form today — a attrition rate that puts the odds of any given coin making it this far at well under 1%.

Philadelphia’s sheer output of 11.1 million is why No Mint Mark examples still dominate the market, but high mintage never guaranteed high survival. Of those 11 million coins, only around 13,500 remain.

The 1898-O and 1898-S started with far smaller productions of 1,868,000 and 1,020,592 respectively, and their survivor pools reflect that — roughly 2,500 and 2,000 coins each. Interestingly, the S-mint actually posts the highest survival rate of the three business strikes at 0.196%, likely because its lower mintage meant fewer entered heavy circulation to begin with.

The proof numbers operate in a different dimension entirely. Only 735 were struck, yet an estimated 650 survive — an 88% survival rate that stands in sharp contrast to the business strikes. Proof coins were handled with care from the moment they left the Mint, stored by collectors rather than spent, which is exactly why so many made it through 127 years intact.

The CAM and DCAM subsets share that same 735-coin production figure, but their individual survival counts remain unknown — a gap in the data that itself signals just how rarely these coins surface.

Also Read: Top 20 Most Valuable Bicentennial Quarter Worth Money List

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1898 Quarter Value

Pinning down your 1898 quarter’s value starts on the reverse — check between the eagle’s tail feathers for a mint mark. An “O” means New Orleans, an “S” means San Francisco, no mark means Philadelphia. That single letter can shift value by hundreds of dollars at the same grade.

Next, look at the word “LIBERTY” on Liberty’s headband. A fully legible inscription puts you in Fine territory or better, which is where prices start moving seriously. Wear on the cheek, hair, and eagle’s breast feathers will tell you the rest.

Once you have the variety and a rough grade, run it through the Coin Value Checker App for a current market estimate — then check whether your coin has any errors, which is where values can climb well beyond the standard chart.

 

1898 Quarter Value Guides

The 1898 quarter was struck in six distinct varieties, each with its own survival pool and value range. Knowing exactly which one you have is the starting point for any serious valuation.

• 1898 No Mint Mark Quarter — Philadelphia’s issue and the most accessible entry point into the series.
• 1898-O Quarter — The New Orleans variety, scarce in Fine and above, genuinely rare in Mint State.
• 1898-S Quarter — San Francisco’s lowest-production business strike, with a complicated survival history tied to the Spanish-American War.
• 1898 Proof Quarter — Struck exclusively for collectors, with a remarkably high survival rate relative to its tiny original mintage.
• 1898 CAM Quarter — A proof subset with frosted devices, rarely seen on the open market.
• 1898 DCAM Quarter — The deepest cameo designation and the hardest of the six to find in any condition.

 

1898 No Mint Mark Quarter Value

The 1898 No Mint Mark quarter is one of the more straightforward dates in the Barber series — not rare, but not trivial either. It is common, often comes nice, and offers ample Mint State examples across a variety of grades, with MS63 being the most frequently encountered, followed by MS62, then MS64.

That grade distribution is unusual for the series and reflects Philadelphia’s consistently sharper dies and cleaner strikes compared to the branch mints — details that show up in Liberty’s hair above the ear and the eagle’s breast feathers on the reverse.

Gem examples at MS65 and above are slightly less common, but MS67 becomes quite rare, with only a couple of MS67+ specimens and a single PCGS MS68+ known to exist. The vast price chasm—spanning from an estimated $7,000 for an MS67 grade to $26,000 for an MS68—serves as a stark testament to just how exceedingly rare it is for a coin to survive to this day in such pristine, flawless condition.

For collectors, the 1898 No Mint Mark is one of the most accessible high-grade entry points in the entire Barber quarter series — attainable, but still worth finding a sharp example.

Every auction result for the 1898 No Mint Mark quarter tells a story about where the market draws the line between a good coin and a great one.

Here’s how the 1898 No Mint Mark quarter has actually been trading in the current market.

 

1898-O Quarter Value

The 1898-O ranks 6th out of 74 date and mint mark combinations in the entire Barber quarter series — placing it firmly among the most desirable dates in the series, with premiums that reflect genuine scarcity at every grade level above Fine.

What sets this coin apart is its strike inconsistency. The New Orleans Mint was notorious for uneven die pressure throughout the Barber era, and the 1898-O reflects that — strikes range from weak to sharp on the eagle’s right-side talons, and a fully struck example should carry a premium, though sellers often don’t know to ask for one. For the informed buyer, that’s an opportunity.

The grade distribution is steep. Most Mint State examples cluster between MS62 and MS64, with Gems genuinely rare above that. At the absolute ceiling sit a PCGS MS68+ — one of only four coins to reach that level across the entire series — and a PCGS MS68, both noted for exceptional color and eye appeal. Prices don’t climb gradually through this range; they accelerate sharply above MS64 and become near-prohibitive by MS67.

The auction record of $58,750, achieved at Heritage Auctions in June 2014 by an NGC MS68 CAC example, remains the definitive benchmark for this date.

Few coins in the Barber series have produced results as polarizing as the 1898-O — the gap between a typical example and a great one shows up clearly in the numbers.

Volume peaked in September 2025 and has since stabilized, suggesting steady collector demand with no signs of the market losing interest.

 

1898-S Quarter Value

The 1898-S apart from the other 1898 varieties isn’t just scarcity — it’s the quality of what survives.

Cleaned examples dominate the market at every grade level. Original-surface coins with intact luster are genuinely rare, and the spread in value between a problem-free example and a cleaned one is steep enough that surface evaluation matters here more than on almost any other date in the series.

For condition assessment, the key contact points on the obverse are Liberty’s cheek, the hair above the ear, and the high points of the laurel wreath. On the reverse, the eagle’s breast feathers and the talon detail are where wear registers first and most visibly. A coin with full LIBERTY on the headband but soft talon definition hasn’t necessarily been worn — it may simply reflect the strike quality of that particular die — which is why evaluating both sides independently matters before settling on a grade.

The finest known example, a PCGS MS68, displays razor-sharp definition throughout — complete star centrils on the obverse, crisp eagle talons on the reverse — features that are often soft or blunt on typical circulation-strike Barber quarters. It sold for $20,400 at Heritage Auctions in December 2023.

Every sale of the 1898-S is an event — there simply aren’t many chances to buy one.

When an original 1898-S surfaces, the market moves fast.

 

1898 Proof Quarter Value

The 1898 Proof quarter operates in a completely separate market from its business-strike counterparts. Struck exclusively for collectors at the Philadelphia Mint with specially prepared dies and polished planchets, these coins were never intended for circulation — and the vast majority survived precisely because of that.

The fields are deeply mirrored, the strike is sharp throughout, and the overall quality is markedly higher than anything produced for commerce that year.

What makes the 1898 Proof particularly interesting from a valuation standpoint is how compressed the grade distribution is at the top. The PCGS population data tells that story clearly: 17 coins graded PR67, just 1 at PR67+, and 8 at PR68 — with the price jumping from $5,250 at PR67 to $17,000 at PR68, and $27,500 at PR68+. At PR69, the guide price reaches $40,000, a level that only a handful of submissions have ever approached.

The 1898 Proof quarter rewards patience — high-grade examples appear infrequently, but when they do, the results speak for themselves.

Steady demand from proof collectors keeps this coin moving, with grade and surface quality dictating everything.

 

1898 CAM Quarter Value

The Cameo designation requires frosted devices on both sides of the coin contrasting against mirrored fields — light to moderate frosting that creates a visible but not dramatic contrast.

Proof dies produced only around a hundred coins with true cameo contrast before friction from repeated strikes eroded the frosting, leaving later strikes with a fully brilliant mirrored finish. The 1898 CAM therefore came from an early die state — before that degradation set in — and finding one where both sides carry consistent, unbroken frosting without fading or brilliant patches is the real challenge.

The practical grading difficulty with the 1898 CAM is that many examples show uneven frosting — strong on one side, faded on the other — which disqualifies them from the designation entirely regardless of the grade on the obverse alone. That binary nature of the CAM designation is what drives the price gap between a solid example and a borderline one, and why in-hand examination matters far more than photos when evaluating these coins.

The auction record of $30,550, achieved by a PR69CAM at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in October 2017, reflects just how thin the population is at the top of this designation — a PR69 with full cameo contrast on both sides is not a coin that surfaces often.

This chart tracks every known auction result for the 1898 CAM Quarter.

This chart shows the 1898 CAM Quarter’s trading activity over the past year.

 

1898 DCAM Quarter Value

The DCAM is the 1898 proof hierarchy’s rarest tier, and the numbers behind it are striking. Perhaps only fifteen to twenty percent of the 1898 proof quarter survivors display Ultra Cameo contrast, and even those are typically in grades of PR67 and lower.

The designation requires deep, even, unbroken frosting on both sides simultaneously — even the smallest amount of brilliance or fade in the recessed areas of the design will prevent a coin from obtaining this designation.

Across the entire Barber quarter series from 1892 to 1899, PCGS has graded only 38 examples as Deep Cameo — and from 1900 to 1915, just four total.

Not just a proof with nice contrast, but one of a genuinely thin population of coins where the die quality, strike timing, and preservation all aligned perfectly. The auction record of $73,438, set by a PR69DCAM at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in May 2019, is the highest price ever paid for any 1898 quarter of any variety.

This chart documents the auction history of the 1898 DCAM Quarter.

The rarest of the three proof tiers, and the market treats it accordingly.

Also Read: 22 Rare Quarter Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Rare 1898 Quarter Error List

Finding an 1898 quarter error is less about luck and more about knowing what to look for — most have passed through dozens of hands without anyone noticing.

1. Off-Center Strike

Off-center strikes on Barber quarters are among the rarest mechanical errors in all of 19th-century U.S. coinage. These show up once in a blue moon and go for blue moon money — a reflection of how tightly controlled the Mint’s production process was by 1898. When a planchet feeds into the press misaligned, the design is struck partially off the coin’s surface, leaving a crescent of blank metal on one side.

The value of an off-center 1898 quarter depends directly on two things: how far off-center the strike is, and whether the date remains fully visible. A 10–20% off-center example with a clear date can fetch several hundred dollars; dramatic examples pushing 50% or more, where the date is still readable, can command well into the thousands from error specialists.

2. Repunched Mint Mark (RPM)

Repunched mint marks occur when the mint mark punch was applied to the die more than once, with slight misalignment between strikes.

On the 1898-O and 1898-S, this means looking closely at the “O” or “S” beneath the eagle’s tail feathers for signs of doubling, tilting, or a shadow impression behind or beside the primary mark.

RPMs are collected by error specialists but generally do not carry large premiums unless the repunching is dramatic — a subtle RPM might add a modest premium over a standard example, while a bold, clearly displaced secondary mark can push values meaningfully higher, particularly on the scarcer S-mint where the base coin already commands attention.

3. Die Cap

The 1898 Barber quarter die cap is unique in the entire Barber quarter series — a coin that sold for $22,500 at the 2003 Central States show, with the seller immediately turning down $25,000 before eventually consigning it to Heritage Auctions. A die cap forms when a struck coin adheres to the die and continues striking subsequent planchets, gradually deforming into a bottle-cap shape.

On Barber quarters, where any error strike is extraordinarily rare, a die cap is essentially a once-in-a-generation find. The combination of extreme rarity, dramatic visual impact, and the series’ established collector base makes this the most valuable error type associated with the 1898 quarter by a significant margin.

4. Doubled Die

Doubled dies on Barber quarters are rare but valuable, with slight doubling of dates or lettering capable of adding significant premiums. On the 1898 quarter, doubled die errors are identified by examining the date numerals, the word LIBERTY on the headband, and the stars on the obverse under magnification. True hub doubling — where the design elements show a distinct, separated secondary image — is distinct from the mechanical doubling that results from die chatter, which carries no premium.

A confirmed doubled die on the 1898 quarter is a genuinely scarce find, and examples with strong, visible separation in the numerals or lettering attract dedicated variety collectors willing to pay well above standard catalog value.

 

Where to Sell Your 1898 Quarter?

Now that you’ve determined your 1898 quarters’ worth, are you wondering about the best online platforms to sell them? I’ve got you covered with a comprehensive guide to these websites, complete with detailed descriptions, advantages, and drawbacks.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

1898 Quarter Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ about the 1898 Quarter

1. How do I tell which mint made my 1898 quarter?

Flip the coin to the reverse and look just below the eagle’s tail feathers, above the “QUARTER DOLLAR” inscription. An “O” indicates New Orleans, an “S” indicates San Francisco, and no mark at all means Philadelphia. The mint mark is small but clearly visible on an unweathered coin.

2. Is a worn 1898 quarter worth anything beyond its silver content?

At heavily worn grades like Good or Very Good, most 1898 Philadelphia examples trade only slightly above their silver melt value of around $18–19. However, the 1898-O and 1898-S carry collector premiums even in low grades, simply because fewer exist. Any coin with a visible, fully readable date and mint mark is worth evaluating before selling for silver.

3. Why are cleaned 1898 quarters worth so much less?

Cleaning removes the original surface patina and luster that formed over 127 years, and that damage is permanent. Grading services will either detail-grade a cleaned coin or refuse to certify it, which drastically limits the buyer pool. A cleaned MS63 can sell for less than an original Fine example of the same date.

4. What does CAC approval mean, and does it matter for 1898 quarters?

CAC (Certified Acceptance Corporation) independently reviews coins already graded by PCGS or NGC and places a green sticker on examples they consider solid or premium for the grade. On the 1898-S and 1898-O specifically, where surface quality varies enormously, CAC approval signals an original, problem-free example — and buyers routinely pay meaningful premiums for it.

5. Is it worth getting my 1898 quarter professionally graded?

For any example that grades Fine or better, professional grading by PCGS or NGC is generally worthwhile. The certification protects the coin, confirms authenticity, and opens access to a much broader buyer market. Below Fine, the cost of grading often exceeds the premium it adds.

6. Why does the 1898-O cost so much more than the Philadelphia issue in high grades?

Philadelphia struck roughly six times more quarters in 1898 than New Orleans, and the survival pool reflects that disparity. At the MS65 level and above, the 1898-O becomes genuinely rare — whereas the Philadelphia issue, despite its age, still offers enough surviving gems to keep prices relatively accessible. Scarcity at the top of the grade scale is what drives the premium.

7. What’s the difference between the 1898 Proof, CAM, and DCAM designations?

All three are proof coins struck from the same production run, but they differ in surface contrast. A standard proof has mirrored fields with no significant frosting on the devices. A CAM has light to moderate frosting on Liberty and the eagle that contrasts against those mirrored fields. A DCAM takes that contrast to the extreme — deeply frosted, white devices against near-black mirror fields — and represents the very first coins struck from a fresh die pair.

8. Can the 1898 quarter still be found in circulation or old collections?

Circulation finds are effectively impossible today — the last Barber quarters disappeared from everyday use decades ago. Inherited collections and old estate lots remain the most realistic source for uncirculated or problem-free examples, particularly for collectors looking for coins with original surfaces that haven’t been cleaned or tampered with.

9. How significant is toning on an 1898 quarter’s value?

Natural, original toning developed over more than a century is generally viewed positively by experienced collectors, particularly on proof examples where vivid iridescent colors significantly enhance eye appeal. Artificial toning, applied to disguise cleaning or improve appearance, is a different matter entirely and constitutes a form of coin doctoring that grading services will flag. Learning to distinguish the two is one of the most valuable skills in evaluating any 19th-century silver coin.

10. What’s the most important thing to check before buying an 1898-S quarter?

Surface originality. The 1898-S has a well-documented history of harshly cleaned survivors, and many circulate through the market in slabs with details grades or undesignated holders. Before purchasing any 1898-S above Fine, examine the fields carefully for hairlines and the luster for artificial brightness — both signs of past cleaning. A coin with genuine original surfaces commands a substantial premium over a cleaned example of the same technical grade, and rightly so.