1874H Canadian 25 Cents — ICCS AU-58 | Queen Victoria | Heaton Mint | Early Confederation Silver

1874H Canadian Twenty-Five Cents — ICCS Certified AU-58 | About Uncirculated | Queen Victoria | Heaton Mint

An exceptional near-mint example of the 1874H Canadian Twenty-Five Cent piece, independently certified by the International Coin Certification Service (ICCS) and graded AU-58 (About Uncirculated). At AU-58, the coin retains nearly complete original mint lustre with only the slightest trace of friction on the very highest points of the design — the Queen Victoria portrait and the maple wreath tips — consistent with the briefest circulation or handling. All design details are fully sharp and well-defined, and the overall eye appeal is outstanding. A problem-free, premium-quality example of this early Confederation-era Heaton Mint issue.

Certification Details

• Country: Canada
• Year: 1874H
• Denomination: 25 Cents
• Grade: AU-58 (About Uncirculated)
• Comments: None
• Certification No.: XMV 100
• Certifying Body: ICCS (International Coin Certification Service)

Coin Specifications

• Composition: 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper
• Diameter: 23.62 mm
• Weight: 5.81 g
• Edge: Reeded
• Obverse Designer: Leonard Charles Wyon (Queen Victoria “Young Head” effigy)
• Reverse Designer: L.C. Wyon (Maple wreath design)
• Mint: Heaton Mint, Birmingham, England (“H” mintmark)

Design & Historical Significance

The obverse features the graceful right-facing “Young Head” portrait of Queen Victoria by Leonard Charles Wyon, inscribed VICTORIA DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA. The reverse displays the denomination 25 CENTS within a bold maple leaf wreath surmounted by the Imperial Crown, with the date 1874 at the bottom — the classic L.C. Wyon design used on Canadian silver coinage from Confederation through the Victorian era.

The “H” mintmark at the base of the reverse denotes production at the Heaton Mint in Birmingham, England, one of the foremost private mints of the Victorian era. Canadian coinage was struck at Heaton during periods when Royal Mint capacity was insufficient to meet demand, and Heaton Mint issues are actively collected as a distinct subset by specialists in Victorian Canadian coinage.

Struck just seven years after Confederation, the 1874H twenty-five cent piece is a genuine artifact of early Canadian history. High-grade examples in AU condition are genuinely scarce — the vast majority of surviving 1874H quarters have seen significant circulation — and an ICCS-certified AU-58 with no comments represents a premium, problem-free survivor at the very top of the circulated grade spectrum.

Why This Coin Belongs in Your Collection

Imagine holding a silver quarter struck in Birmingham in 1874 — just seven years after Canada became a nation — that has survived over 150 years with nearly all of its original mint lustre intact, its maple wreath crisp and its Victoria portrait sharp. At AU-58, this coin sits just one step below mint state, offering exceptional eye appeal and historical significance in a single problem-free example. Whether you collect early Confederation Canadian silver, Victorian coinage, or Heaton Mint issues, this ICCS-certified AU-58 is an outstanding acquisition.

Encapsulated in an original ICCS sealed holder. Tampering with the holder invalidates the certification opinion. Have holder replaced if inner package/seal is not intact.

The ICCS-certified coin shown is the exact coin you will receive. Guaranteed authentic.