Rare 1887 Quarter Errors (List & Pictures)
An ANACS PR64 Proof quarter with a small rim clip sold for $776.25 in September 2003. This documented example of 1887 quarter errors has an estimated whole-coin comparison range of $700–$3,000.
The guide below explains its subtle rim weakness, the two locations to inspect, and the difference between the coin’s total value and an error premium.
1887 Quarter Proof Rim Clip Error
The recorded coin does not have a dramatic bite missing from its outline. Instead, a small area of rim formed weakly because insufficient metal was available there during striking.
The blank had a small missing portion before it received the design. That incomplete starting disc distinguishes a genuine clip from a later impact that damages an already formed rim.
ANACS graded the coin PR64. PR identifies Proof manufacture for collectors, while 64 describes preservation rather than the size or importance of the clip.
How to Identify
With Liberty upright, inspect the front rim near one o’clock. Then hold the reverse upright and locate the corresponding weak area near five o’clock.
Compare those spots with the surrounding rim under light from different directions. The supplied description calls for softly formed detail, so the absence of a large open notch does not contradict this example.
Examine the edge from the side for sharp cutting, a dent, or pushed-up metal. Those can explain a damaged rim without an incomplete blank being involved.
Use full-face photographs alongside close-ups to preserve the relationship between the two positions. Large weight loss is not the defining evidence for this small rim clip.
What It’s Worth
A genuine 1887 Proof quarter with a comparable small rim clip has an estimated whole-coin range of $700–$3,000. That amount includes the Proof coin’s normal collector appeal and condition.
The ANACS PR64 specimen brought $776.25 on September 20, 2003, in Heritage auction 330, lot 6691, as recorded in the Heritage auction archive. The historical result does not isolate a separate premium for the clip.
Reflective surface preservation matters alongside the rim feature. Scratches, cleaning, or an additional rim dent can change how closely another coin compares with the recorded example.
Conclusion
The useful clues on this 1887 Proof are small areas of weak rim formation, at one o’clock on the front and five o’clock on the upright reverse. They should be examined together rather than replaced by an expectation of a large missing segment.
Preserve the reflective surfaces and inspect the edge for later damage. Any price comparison must include the complete Proof coin’s condition as well as the confirmed clip.
