The 1917‑S Type 1 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar is one of the most celebrated designs of the early 20th century, and these monochrome master studies isolate its sculptural qualities with deliberate focus. Executed in color‑fast, fine art oil and wax based colored pencils on archival stock, the drawings strip away the distractions of luster and patina, allowing the viewer to engage directly with form, proportion, and relief. The obverse, completed in November 2022, presents Liberty standing in a gateway, shield in her left hand and olive branch in her right, her figure modeled with classical poise and modern vitality. The reverse, completed in March 2023, depicts the eagle in flight, its wings extended in rhythmic balance, framed by the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and QUARTER DOLLAR.

The obverse study emphasizes Liberty’s stance as both guardian and peacemaker, her shield angled in defense while the olive branch extends in welcome. The layered pencil strokes capture the sculptural rhythm of her drapery, the architectural framing of the gateway, and the bold inscription LIBERTY above. The reverse study, drawn months later, reflects a subtle evolution in technique. The eagle’s feathers are articulated with greater tonal layering, the musculature of the wings more deeply modeled, and the surrounding legends balanced with architectural clarity. Together, the two drawings form a dialogue not only between obverse and reverse, but also between two moments in the artist’s own progression.

Because the coin is a business strike, the studies avoid prooflike brilliance and instead capture the satiny, workmanlike qualities of Mint production. The pencils allow for subtle gradations that mimic the soft diffusion of light across silver, with highlights blooming gently on Liberty’s shield and the eagle’s wings, while deeper tones settle into recesses. This treatment conveys both the strength and delicacy of Hermon A. MacNeil’s design, a composition that embodies America’s ideals of vigilance, peace, and forward motion.

As interpretive works, the studies succeed in revealing subtleties often overlooked in metal. The proportional relationship of Liberty to her gateway, the sculptural rhythm of the eagle’s wings, and the balance of inscriptions all emerge with clarity. By extending the design into a medium of permanence, the drawings ensure that the artistry of the Standing Liberty Quarter resonates as strongly today as it did in 1917.

For the Print of the Month archive, these paired monochrome renderings of the 1917‑S Type 1 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar affirm the role of draftsmanship as scholarship. They do not merely replicate but interrogate design, offering a visual meditation on freedom, artistry, and national identity. In oil‑ and wax‑based pencil, the quarter endures as both symbol and sculpture — a timeless witness to America’s numismatic renaissance.