1838 Capped Bust Quarter
Base
About This Coin
The 1838 Capped Bust Quarter is a United States quarter from the Capped Bust Quarters 1815-1838 series — the final year of the series. In 1838, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 366,003. This ranks 14th of 19 years by total mintage, above the series median of 252,405. The obverse features Liberty facing left wearing a mob cap or turban and the reverse displays a heraldic eagle with shield on breast, olive branch and arrows in talons, with a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM. The final year of the Capped Bust Quarter before the Seated Liberty design replaced it in 1838. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 6.74 grams, 24.3 mm in diameter, with a reeded edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $73 to $5.0K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $184K in PR66 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by John Reich.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
