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On the first of April 1867 the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony but it wasn't until 1871 that her first coins were struck with the lower denomination silver coins being first issued in 1871 and the copper in 1872, the copper being seen as less important as the previous British India issues were still in circulation. It would not be until 1886 and 1903 that the fifty cent and one dollar coins respectively would be struck. The reverese features the legend STRAITS SETTLEMENTS QUARTER CENT with the date in the lower-right quadrant and the denomination of 1/4 in the middle. The obverse features the bust of Queen Victoria facing to the left with the legend QUEEN VICTORIA.
The 1873 Quarter Cent was struck in unknown quantities at the Royal Mint for circulation in the colonies of the Straits Settlements. While its mintage is unknown, its scarcity in the marketplace today indicates a very low mintage, probably around the 500,000 mark. The coin is rare in any grade but especially difficult in mint state with no recent sales as of February 2017. Most collectors will need to settle for a circulated example with mint state examples, on the rare occassion they appear, command extremely spirited bidding due to their extreme scarcity.
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