The U.S. Mint launches its Best of the Mint 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar Gold Coin and Silver Medal Set today at noon ET, pairing classic American numismatics with contemporary minting artistry.
Included is a quarter-ounce, 24-karat gold version of Hermon A. MacNeil’s iconic 1916 Standing Liberty quarter, enhanced with a special Liberty Bell "250" privy mark commemorating America’s semiquincentennial. A newly designed one-ounce silver medal, created exclusively for the set, accompanies the gold coin.
Strong Demand Expected After Mercury Dime Set Debut
With a limited mintage of just 30,000 sets and a successful first release already behind the series, demand for this second Best of the Mint issue is expected to be strong despite its $1,540 price. If the inaugural release is any indication, collectors may need to act quickly.
The first offering in the series, the Best of the Mint 1916 Mercury Dime Gold Coin and Silver Medal Set, debuted on June 4 and became unavailable in less than five hours even with its $810 price tag. The Mint later reported sales of 28,933 sets. CoinNews photos show this inaugural set in detail.
In the weeks that followed, some Mercury dime sets returned for sale due to order cancellations, payment issues and other adjustments. They were later offered at a reduced price of $765 after a decline in gold triggered updated pricing. Most recently, sales stood at 28,672 sets, or 95.6% of the maximum 30,000. Since then, the set has moved back and forth between available and unavailable status, with its latest price at $775.
Three sets remain in the Mint’s Best of the Mint 24-karat gold program after today’s debut:
- 1916 Walking Liberty half dollar — debuting Aug. 6
- 1804 silver dollar — debuting Aug. 27
- 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief $20 gold coin — debuting Sept. 24
Today’s release is the second most affordable of the five sets in the Best of the Mint series, with the remaining three containing larger gold coins.
How the 2016 Gold Standing Liberty Quarter Compares
For background, this is not the first modern gold coin from the Mint to feature the Standing Liberty quarter design. In 2016, the Mint issued the 2016-W Standing Liberty Centennial Gold Coin to mark the coin’s 100th anniversary. It posted opening-day sales of 47,884 coins and had a one-coin-per-household limit for nearly two weeks. After the limit was removed, sales surged by 20,462 coins in the following week, and the coin eventually ended with a mintage of 91,752.
There are several key differences between today’s release and the 2016 coin beyond their mintages. Gold averaged about $1,250 an ounce in 2016, compared with about $4,120 now, and the 2016 coin debuted at $485, roughly one-third the price of today’s set. It also lacked anniversary elements, while this year’s issue carries a Liberty Bell "250" privy mark.
Other differences appear in the design and finish. The 2016 reverse had added inscriptions reading "AU 24K" and "1/4 oz.," which detracted from the original design. The earlier coin also carried the year 2016 instead of the original 1916 date. The Mint described the 2016 coin as having a business strike finish, compared with the uncirculated finish listed for the Semiquincentennial edition.
Standing Liberty Set Designs and Specifications
On the coin’s obverse, Liberty turns her head to look over the shield on her left arm while holding an olive branch in her right hand. She stands within an opening in a wall adorned with 13 stars. Obverse inscriptions read LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRVST and 1916. Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the coin also carries a Liberty Bell "250" privy mark. The reverse depicts an eagle in flight surrounded by 13 stars, with inscriptions of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLVRIBVS VNVM and QUARTER DOLLAR.
Inspired by the historic 1916 Standing Liberty quarter, the companion silver medal depicts a windswept Liberty on the obverse holding a shield while turning to offer olive branches to an eagle in the distance. The shield carries 50 rivets representing the states of the Union and 13 stripes representing the original colonies. Its inscription reads LIBERTY. The reverse shows a close-up of the olive branches passed by Liberty, now held by the eagle, which is flanked by 13 stars. An inscription reads UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
U.S. Mint-provided specifications for the West Point-struck gold coin and Philadelphia-struck silver medal are as follows:
| Gold Coin | Silver Medal | |
|---|---|---|
| Denomination: | Quarter | N/A |
| Finish: | Uncirculated | Uncirculated |
| Composition: | 99.99% gold | 99.9% silver |
| Gold Fine Weight: | 0.250 troy ounce | N/A |
| Silver Weight: | N/A | 1.000 troy ounce |
| Diameter: | 0.866 inch (22.00 mm) | 1.598 inches (40.60 mm) |
| Edge: | Reeded | Plain |
| Mint: | West Point | Philadelphia |
| Mint Mark: | N/A | N/A |
Ordering Information and Limits
The Best of the Mint 1916 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar Gold Coin and Silver Medal Set goes on sale beginning Noon ET through the U.S. Mint’s website.
Gold coin prices may change weekly under the Mint’s precious metals pricing matrix, which adjusts prices based on the market price of gold. The set’s current $1,540 price reflects an LBMA gold range of $4,100.00 to $4,149.99 per ounce.
As mentioned, the mintage limit is 30,000 with an initial household order limit of one until noon ET on Monday, July 13.
