1901 Quarter Value Checker: Errors List, “O”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

1901 Quarter value ranges from $0.25 face value to $550,000. That record was set by a Grade 68 example sold through Superior Galleries in May 1990. If you’re curious what yours might be worth, upload a photo of your coin below for a quick value range. Scroll down to check recent eBay sales and see what these are actually selling for today.

 

1901 Quarter Value By Variety

Here’s a quick breakdown by type and grade. If you already know your coin’s grade, jump to the Value Guides section for exact pricing.

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

 

Top 10 Most Valuable 1901 Quarter Worth Money

No surprise here — the 1901-S dominates this list. It’s the undisputed key date of the entire Barber Quarter series, and the top slot belongs to an MS68 that brought $550,000 at Superior Galleries in May 1990. Drop just one grade point to MS67 and the price falls to $258,500. That’s less than half. One grade.

Below MS65, you’re still looking at five-figure results for the 1901-S. Even the lowest-graded coins on this list have sold for prices that catch people off guard. With this date, condition is everything.

 

History of the 1901 Quarter

By 1901, the Barber Quarter design had been in production for nine years. The country was booming. McKinley had just started his second term, the economy was running hot after the Spanish-American War, and quarters were changing hands constantly in shops and markets across the country.

The real story for this year is San Francisco. Despite being a major trade hub since the Gold Rush days, the San Francisco Mint struck only 72,664 quarters in 1901. Almost all of them went straight into circulation and got beaten up. That tiny mintage combined with brutal attrition is exactly why the 1901-S became the most famous rarity in the Barber Quarter series. Fun fact: more counterfeits of this coin exist than genuine specimens in lower grades.

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

 

Is Your 1901 Quarter Rare?

The 1901-S gets all the attention, but don’t sleep on the 1901-O. It had a much larger mintage than the S-mint, yet roughly the same number survive today. That tells you the New Orleans coins got hammered in circulation just as badly. The Philadelphia issue is the most common by a wide margin, but even those get scarce fast once you’re looking at MS65 and above. The DCAM proof is a completely different kind of rare — barely any exist in certified holders.

Check how rare your 1901 Quarter is by looking it up in the CoinValueChecker App — all six varieties are ranked right there for you.

 

Key Features of the 1901 Quarter

Barber’s design packs in more detail than you’d expect at first glance. Knowing where to look helps you authenticate and grade your coin properly.

The Obverse of the 1901 Quarter

You’ll see Lady Liberty facing right, wearing a Phrygian cap and laurel wreath. The word LIBERTY runs across a headband on her forehead — that’s the detail graders check first. Six stars sit to the left, seven to the right, with IN GOD WE TRUST above and the date below.

One thing to note: the 1901 uses the Type II obverse. Look at the ribbon nearest Liberty’s neck. It ends in a forked tail with a shallow slit and wide forks. That’s different from the Type I used on earlier Barber quarters.

The Reverse of the 1901 Quarter

Flip it over and you’ll see a heraldic eagle adapted from the Great Seal. The eagle holds an olive branch and arrows in its talons, with 13 stars above. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs along the upper rim, QUARTER DOLLAR along the bottom, and a ribbon in the eagle’s beak reads E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Look beneath the eagle’s tail feathers, just above the space between QUARTER and DOLLAR. That’s where the mint mark sits. No letter means Philadelphia. An O means New Orleans. An S means San Francisco — and that’s the one you’re hoping to find.

Other Features of the 1901 Quarter

The coin weighs 6.30 grams, measures 24.3mm in diameter, and is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, with a reeded edge. Fine denticles run along the inner rim on both sides, framing the design on the obverse and reverse alike.

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

 

1901 Quarter Mintage & Survival Data

Philadelphia cranked out over 8.8 million quarters in 1901. New Orleans made 1.6 million. San Francisco? Just 72,664. To put that in perspective, Philadelphia struck roughly 121 coins for every single one San Francisco produced.

Despite having the highest survival rate of the three circulation strikes at 2.75%, the 1901-S still only accounts for a tiny number of actual coins. The Philadelphia issue leads with around 15,000 survivors. Here’s the weird part — the 1901-O survives in similar numbers to the 1901-S even though New Orleans originally struck more than 20 times as many coins.

Proof survival is strong at over 86%, which makes sense — collectors who bought proofs in 1901 tended to take care of them. CAM and DCAM survival data remains unknown.

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

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 1901 Quarter Value

Three things drive what your 1901 Quarter is worth: mint mark, condition, and whether it’s a business strike or proof. The mint mark alone can mean the difference between a $25 coin and a $3,000 coin.

Condition is where the real money separates. Check the LIBERTY headband first. If all seven letters are sharp and complete, you’re looking at a much better grade than a coin where those letters are fading or gone.

Use the CoinValueChecker App to check your coin’s grade directly and get an accurate value in seconds.

 

1901 Quarter Value Guides

Six distinct types exist for the 1901 Quarter. Here’s what you’re working with:

• 1901 No Mint Mark Quarter — struck at the Philadelphia Mint, the most common of the three circulation issues
• 1901-O Quarter — produced at the New Orleans Mint, a semi-key date in the Barber series
• 1901-S Quarter — from the San Francisco Mint, widely considered the key date of the entire Barber Quarter series
• 1901 Proof Quarter — specially struck for collectors with sharp detail and mirror-like fields
• 1901 CAM Quarter — a Proof with frosted devices contrasting against reflective fields
• 1901 DCAM Quarter — the deepest contrast version of the Proof, with bold frost and deeply mirrored fields

The circulation strikes differ mainly by rarity per mint. The proof variants step up in visual contrast and collector demand as you move from standard to CAM to DCAM.

 

1901 No Mint Mark Quarter Value

Most collectors overlook the Philadelphia strike because the 1901-S gets all the headlines. That’s a mistake. This coin gets genuinely scarce in upper Mint State grades, and the prices reflect it.

At MS65, you’re looking at around $1,100. Jump to MS66 and that roughly doubles. A rare MS67 example has brought $17,600 at auction. For a coin that spent decades bouncing around in pockets and cash registers, gem survivors are hard to come by.

You’ll find most examples today showing heavy wear. Check the LIBERTY headband — the sharper those letters, the better your grade and the more your coin is worth.

The auction record chart below gives you a look at real sale prices across different grades over the years.

The market activity chart shows how much collector interest this coin has been drawing month to month.

 

1901-O Quarter Value

How scarce is the 1901-O really? Consider this: New Orleans struck over 1.6 million of these, yet the number of survivors is roughly the same as the 1901-S, which had a mintage of just 72,664. That’s a brutal survival rate.

Circulated examples thin out fast above Fine. Mint State coins are genuinely tough. Gems? Almost nonexistent.

The auction record sits at $28,800 for an MS67 example sold at Heritage Auctions in August 2025. I think this is one of the more underrated coins in the Barber series — it doesn’t get the 1901-S hype, but the numbers tell a compelling story.

Take a look at the auction record chart below to see how prices have played out across different grades over the years.

The market activity chart gives you a sense of how much collector attention this coin draws month to month.

 

1901-S Quarter Value

This is the coin. The king of Barber Quarters. Even a beat-up example graded Fair 2 approaches $3,150. Let that sink in for a second.

Most survivors are heavily worn — AG3 and G4 are the typical grades you’ll encounter. Nobody was saving these by mint mark back in 1901, so nearly every one went into circulation and stayed there. The jump from mid-grade to Extremely Fine can mean thousands of dollars. True Uncirculated examples command exponential premiums.

The all-time record is $550,000 for an MS68 sold at Superior Galleries in May 1990. We’re talking about a coin where even the lowest grades bring serious money and the top end is stratospheric.

The auction record chart below captures the full range of what this coin has brought at sale across different grade levels.

The market activity chart shows how actively this coin has been pursued by buyers over time.

 

1901 Proof Quarter Value

Did you know annual Barber Quarter proof mintages typically ran between 500 and 900 pieces? These were never meant for pocket change. The Mint used specially prepared dies and polished planchets, giving each coin razor-sharp detail and deeply reflective fields.

Surviving examples are a genuine find, especially in higher grades. A PR68 sold at Heritage Auctions in August 2010 for $16,100. Even at lower proof grades, these coins hold solid value given their age and tiny original production.

The auction record chart below shows what buyers have actually paid for this coin at sale.

The market activity chart reflects how much demand this coin sees from buyers over time.

 

1901 CAM Quarter Value

That frosty look on the raised devices against mirror-bright fields? It only happens on the very first coins struck from a fresh die. Once the die gets polished smooth by repeated strikes, the frost disappears. That’s why the Cameo designation is scarce — everything had to go right.

Only about twenty percent of the total certified Proof population for the 1901 Quarter carries a Cameo designation. CAM examples trade at clear premiums over standard proofs.

Most slabbed examples cluster at PR63 and PR64, which tells you storage wasn’t always a priority 120+ years ago. High-grade CAM coins are tough to find. A PR68CAM example sold at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in December 2013 for $21,850 — that’s what a top-pop CAM can bring.

The auction record table below gives you a detailed look at what this coin has fetched at sale.

The market activity data shows how frequently this coin appears among active buyers.

 

1901 DCAM Quarter Value

If you think CAM coins are scarce, the DCAM takes it to another level. Deep Cameo requires extreme contrast — bold, heavy frost on the devices against deeply mirrored fields. It looks almost like a modern proof, except this one was struck a century before that look became standard.

The certified population is tiny. Most graded examples sit at PR63 and PR64, again reflecting how little care went into long-term storage back then. Cherrypicking a high-grade DCAM takes patience and a serious budget.

Current price estimates for the 1901 DCAM Quarter range from $4,500 to $11,000. At Heritage Auctions in October 2012, a PR67DCAM brought $11,456. That gives you a clear ceiling for this designation.

The full price history for this coin is laid out in the auction record table below.

The market activity section gives you a sense of how often this coin comes up for sale.

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

 

Rare 1901 Quarter Error List

Error coins from 1901 aren’t common, but a couple of die varieties do show up. If you’re examining your coin closely, here’s what to look for.

1. 1901 Quarter Doubled Die Error

This happens when the hub impressed the die more than once with a slight misalignment between strikes. You’ll see doubling on design elements — most often the date, the word LIBERTY on the headband, or other obverse inscriptions.

How much extra is it worth? That depends on the strength of the doubling. Strong, obvious doubling on a higher-grade coin gets collector attention. Faint shifts on worn examples? Not so much. But a well-documented example with clear doubling can carry a nice premium over a normal coin of the same grade.

2. 1901 Quarter Repunched Date Error

Sometimes a date digit got punched into the die twice, with the second hit landing slightly off. On the 1901 Quarter, look for a faint ghost image of a digit — usually the “1” or “9” — sitting just above, below, or beside the primary number.

These are niche varieties, but Barber series die study collectors actively seek them out. A clearly repunched digit on a coin grading Fine or better is the sweet spot for added value. Grab a loupe and take a close look at those date digits.

 

Where to Sell Your 1901 Quarter?

Knowing your 1901 Quarter’s value is only half the equation. We’ve put together a full guide on the best places to sell your coins online, complete with introductions, pros, and cons for each platform, so you can make the most informed decision before listing your coin.

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

 

1901 Quarter Market Trend

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

 

FAQ about the 1901 Quarter

1. How much is a 1901 Quarter worth?

It depends on the mint mark and condition. A Philadelphia example in circulated grades starts around $23, while an MS67 has sold for $17,600. The 1901-S is a different animal — even heavily worn examples approach $3,150, and the top grade has reached $550,000.

2. How do I know which mint made my 1901 Quarter?

Flip it over. Look just above the words QUARTER DOLLAR, beneath the eagle’s tail feathers. An “O” means New Orleans, an “S” means San Francisco, and no letter means Philadelphia. That one detail can change your coin’s value dramatically.

3. Why is the 1901-S Quarter so valuable?

Tiny mintage plus heavy circulation equals extreme scarcity. Only 72,664 were struck, and nobody was saving them by mint mark back then. The typical survivor grades AG3 or G4. That combination of low supply and high demand from set builders is what drives prices through the roof at every grade level.

4. What does the LIBERTY inscription tell me about my 1901 Quarter’s grade?

It’s the first thing graders check. The word LIBERTY on the headband wears away predictably — it’s one of the highest relief points on the coin. All seven letters fully visible means you’ve got a significantly better grade than a coin where letters are faint or missing. That difference translates directly into higher value.

5. Is a 1901 Quarter made of silver?

Yes — 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 6.30 grams. Every one has melt value regardless of grade. But for most dates, and especially the 1901-S, collector value far exceeds the silver content.

6. What is a 1901 Proof Quarter and how is it different from a regular strike?

Proofs were struck for collectors using specially prepared dies and polished planchets. Sharper detail, deeply reflective fields, never meant for circulation. Annual production typically ran between 500 and 900 pieces, so survivors are genuinely scarce — especially in higher grades.

7. What is the difference between a 1901 CAM and DCAM Quarter?

Both are proofs. CAM (Cameo) means the raised design elements show frosted contrast against mirror-like fields. DCAM (Deep Cameo) requires even more pronounced contrast. Only about twenty percent of the total certified Proof population carries a Cameo designation, and the DCAM population is thinner still.

8. How do I spot a fake 1901-S Quarter?

This is a big one. The most common fake is a genuine Philadelphia coin with an added “S” mint mark — and counterfeits actually outnumber genuine specimens in lower grades. Check the style and placement of the “S,” verify it has a Type III reverse (the only correct reverse for 1901), and examine overall die characteristics. Any high-value example should be slabbed by a reputable third-party grading service before you buy.

9. Does cleaning a 1901 Quarter affect its value?

Absolutely. Even light polishing strips the original surface and can drop your coin into a “details” grade, which tanks what buyers will pay. An original, naturally toned surface with honest wear beats a cleaned coin every time.

10. Is a 1901 Quarter a good coin to collect or invest in?

The Philadelphia issue is an affordable entry point if you’re building a Barber set. The 1901-S is one of the most recognized rarities in all of American coinage — set builders need it, and investors chase it. Demand stays strong because so many collectors are working on complete Barber Quarter sets. As always, condition and authenticity matter most for long-term value.