The United States Mint is selling the highly anticipated 2016-W Standing Liberty Centennial 1/4 Ounce Gold Coin beginning at noon ET today, Sept. 8. The commemorative appears 100 years after the original Standing Liberty quarter debuted, and it is the second of three gold coins for this year to celebrate the 1916 renaissance in American coinage.
Unlike its century-old predecessor that was struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, this newest collectible is composed in .9999 fine 24-karat gold. Its one-quarter ounce weight is symbolic of the coin’s denomination, as is its business strike.
Here’s a table comparing specifications between the original quarter and the new centennial quarter:
| 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter | 2016 Gold Standing Liberty Quarter | |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | 90% silver; 10% copper | 99.99% Gold |
| Weight | 0.18084 troy oz. (6.25 grams) | 0.2500 troy oz. (7.776 grams) |
| Diameter | 0.956 inch (24.3 mm) | 0.866 inch (22.00 mm) |
| Thickness | 0.069 inch (1.75 mm) | 0.064 inch (1.63 mm) |
| Edge | Reeded | Reeded |
| Production Facilities | Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco | West Point |
Second Release in 2016 Centennial Gold Coins
In April, the U.S. Mint released the first of the three centennial pieces, the gold Mercury dime. Priced at $205; limited to a mintage of 125,000 coins; and restricted to sales of 10 coins per household, it effectively sold out after 40 minutes.
The gold Standing Liberty quarter has a lower mintage of 100,000 but it has a smaller household ordering limit of one coin and it is priced higher at $485.
A 2016-W Walking Liberty Half-Dollar Gold Coin will debut later in the year, completing the centennial product series.
Ordering
Those interested in the gold Standing Liberty quarter can order one on release straight from the U.S. Mint’s website. The coin’s product page is right here. Place phone orders at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
Update (Sept. 9 at 10:19 a.m.): First-day sales of the Standing Liberty 2016 Centennial Gold Coin reached 47,884, the United States Mint announced.
Update (Sept. 13 at 5:02 p.m.): The U.S. Mint reported sales of 53,378 coins through Sunday, Sept. 11.
