Counterfeit Detection: Altered 1853/53 No Arrows Quarter
June 16, 2026
The date on this supposedly rare quarter shows it was actually crudely altered.
To prevent the hoarding of silver amid the California Gold Rush, the Coinage Act of 1853 was enacted to reduce the weight of quarters and other fractional silver coins by about 7%. To indicate the change in weight, the US Mint added arrows around the date on the obverse as well as rays around the eagle on the reverse.
From NGC