The 1911-D is the rarest Indian Head Quarter Eagle in all grades combined. There are a number of other factors that make this the most desirable single coin in the Indian Head Quarter Eagle set. It has the lowest mintage by a huge margin and is the only issue whose mintage is below 100,000. It is the first Indian Head Quarter Eagle to be produced at a mint other than Philadelphia and one of just three non-Philadelphia issues of this design. Collectors of this era usually didn’t pay attention to mint marked thus many were not saved.

The quality of strike seen on the 1911-D is better than generally believed. The obverse detail is nearly always sharp although some may have minor weakness in the center. The reverse shows good definition, including the center. All genuine 1911-D Indian Head Quarter Eagles have a raised wire rim on the obverse from approximately 1:00 to 5:00. This can be seen even on very low grade coins and serves as an immediate hallmark of identification.

Overview of 1911-D Quarter Eagles: Weak Mintmark and Unique Luster

Some 1911-D Indian Head Quarter Eagles have an extremely weak mintmark. On a few, the mintmark is so weak that it is nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. These are sometimes designated as “Weak D” coins by PCGS and NGC. It is our opinion that collectors should avoid 1911-D Weak D Quarter Eagles as it makes no sense to pay a strong premium for a mintmarked issue and to not be able to clearly see the mintmark.

Many 1911-D Quarter Eagles have small to medium-sized mint-made copper spots; these seem to be more noticeable on the reverse than the obverse. Most have noticeable abrasions as well.

The luster is a combination of granular and frosty, which produces a sort of texture that is unique to this issue. Most knowledgeable numismatists can easily recognize this date because of its unique luster. The quality of the luster is slightly below average and the typical 1911-D Quarter Eagle has a somewhat subdued appearance. A few are known with very good frosty luster and these are both rare and desirable.