Ron Guth:
In 1854, the Mint decided to remove the rays from the back of the Quarter Dollars. From a technical standpoint, the rays created difficulties in striking the coins (more crevies in which to force the metal), and the obverse arrowheads were sufficient to let the public know that the new coins were different from the old (they were lighter). In 1854, the Phildalphia Mint struck nearly 13 million Quarter Dollars, creating an ample supply for both commerce and collectors. As a result, Mint State examples are quite common, especially in MS63 and MS64. The finest examples top out at MS66.