Columbian Exposition quarter dollar

Columbian Exposition Quarter Commemorative

United States
Value	.25 U.S. dollars
Mass	6.25 g
Diameter	24.3 mm
Thickness	? mm
Edge	Reeded
Composition	90.0% Ag 10.0% Cu
Years of minting	1893
Catalog number	-
Obverse
Design	Queen Isabella of Spain
Designer	Charles E. Barber
Design date	1893
Reverse
Design	Kneeling female with symbols of women’s industry.
Designer	Charles E. Barber
Design date	1893

The Columbian Exposition quarter commemorative coin, commonly referred to as the Isabella quarter, was minted as a result of a petition made by Board of Lady Managers of the Columbian Exposition for a souvenir quarter. It honors Queen Isabella of Spain who sponsored Columbus' travels that ended in the colonization of America. The Board of Lady Managers was formed at the urging of Susan B. Anthony to coordinate and oversee the women's activities and exhibits at Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

The coin was designed by Charles E. Barber. The obverse depicts the crowned bust of Isabella of Spain. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is lettered around the perimeter with the 1893 date to the right of the portrait and conforming to the curve of AMERICA. Symbolizing women's industry, the reverse shows a kneeling woman with a distaff in her left hand and a spindle in her right hand. BOARD OF LADY MANAGERS is lettered around the upper perimeter with COLUMBIAN QUAR. DOL. around the lower perimeter. Only a small quantity of these coins were sold at the Exposition at $1 per coin. This was the first commemorative quarter issued by the United States and was the only coin to depict a woman on both sides until the 2009 Sacagawea dollar.

Mints

The Isabella quarter was minted exclusively at the Philadelphia Mint.

Minting started on June 13, 1893, six weeks after the opening of the Exposition. There were 40,000 quarters minted but they did not sell well at the Exposition. Ultimately the unsold quarters were returned to the Mint for melting, leaving 24,191 coins.

There is disagreement among experts on the amount of proof strikes. Estimates range from 40 to 100. The 400th, 1,492nd and 1,892nd coins were double struck proofs documented by the Mint which were presented to the Board of Lady Managers. These were in recognition of the 400th anniversary of the discovering of America, the year America was discovered, and the year of the anniversary. Some early business strikes exhibit prooflike qualities, however there must be evidence of multiple strikes to be authenticated as a legitimate proof strike.

Date	Mint Mark	Mint	Mintage
1893	None	Philadelphia	24,124

References

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation NGC Photo Proof Series
A Guide Book of United States Coins, by Richard (R. S.) Yeoman

See also

• Columbian Exposition half dollar - The half dollar commemorative also minted for the exposition.
• Early United States commemorative coins