1861 Quarter Dollar (1861 25C Seated) NGC MS62. Civil War Quarter Dollar. Magnificent color and originality characterize this Liberty Seated 1861 Quarter Dollar. The obverse shows predominantly blue, turquoise, and aqua around the edge near the stars and date. The rest of the field is tan and light brown with speckles of blue and blue outlining the left side of Liberty, who is essentially light tan with touches of grey, gold, and rust, and yellow. Similar colors are seen on the reverse although, pink is mixed with grey above the eagle’s head, and much more blue is seen blow the eagle. Two darker spots of toning are seen on the shield. A few tiny marks are seen that probably keep the coin from a higher mint state grade. The strike is strong on the reverse but shows some central weakness on the obverse. The scratches are on the holder not the coin.

The 1862 quarter was made at Philadelphia during the Civil War under Union authority for commerce in the North. Originally designed by Christian Gobrecht, the obverse shows the seated figure of Liberty with her head turned to the left. She holds a Union shield in her left hand and a Phrygian cap on a pole in her right. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle with required inscriptions. The date is written as QUAR. DOL.