1878 Seated Liberty Twenty Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1878 Seated Liberty Twenty Cent is a United States cent from the Seated Liberty Twenty Cents 1875-1878 series. The obverse features Liberty seated on a rock, holding a pole surmounted by a Phrygian liberty cap in her left hand and a shield inscribed LIBERTY in her right, while the reverse displays an eagle with outstretched wings. Designed by William Barber. Struck in 90% silver, 10% copper, weighing 5 grams, 22 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Produced at the Philadelphia Mint. The Twenty-Cent Piece had one of the shortest lives of any U.S. denomination, produced for only four years (1875-1878). Its similarity in size to the quarter caused widespread confusion in commerce, leading to its rapid discontinuation. Only the 1875 and 1876 have business-strike mintages. The 1876-CC is a key date (mintage 10,000) and the 1877 and 1878 are proof-only. A popular short series.
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.
Specifications
Strike Types & Varieties(1)
Other Base Coins in This Series
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