1825/4/2 25C FR-2 PCGS号5337

The Capped Bust Quarters of 1825 were struck from three die pairs, which mated two obverses with three reverses. Five obverses were prepared for 1822, yet only one was employed to strike quarters for that year. Another was over-dated for use in 1823, and the final three were over-dated for use in 1824. However, only one 1824/2 obverse was used to strike 1824-dated quarters, in late 1823, with no quarters actually coined in 1824. This left two remaining, unused 1824/2 obverse dies, which were then over-dated once again, this time for 1825.

Understandably, these 1825 over a jumble-of-numbers quarters have confused even the most diligent students of the series, until Steve Tompkins solved this puzzle with publication of his Early United States Quarters 1796-1838 (2008). Previously catalogued as 1825/2, 1825/3, or 1825/4, Tompkins argued successfully that both currently known 1825 obverses are leftovers from 1822 and 1824, and both are correctly 1825/4/2 overdates.

1825 Browning 2, showing star 8 low and with a small 5 reverse, is easily the most common of the three, and alone can be considered as a type issue for Large Sized Capped Bust Quarters. Browning 3, which shares an obverse with B.2, but mated with the Large 5 reverse V, is notably scarcer, with less than a half dozen survivors in Mint State. Browning 1 is a significant rarity, showing star 8 high and mated with the workhorse reverse T, used previously for 1822 B.3, 1823/2, and 1824/2 quarters

---

Ron Guth

Recent research by students of the Capped Bust Quarter series discovered that all 1825 Quarter Dollars are struck from 1825/4/2 Quarter Dollars.  Thus, what were previously considered as 1825/3 and 1825/4/(2) Quarter Dollars are now all 1825/4/2, regardless of how clear the overdate is. 

Three die marriages comprise the entire mintage for this year:

Browning 1 - Rare
Browning 2 - Fairly Common
Browning 3 - Scarce

Sources and/or recommended reading:
Rory Rea et al, Early Quarter Dollars of the United States Mint: 1796-1838 (Rory Rea: 2011), 184-198.