1888 $2.50 (1888 Quarter Eagle) NGC PF63 Ultra Cameo. This rare, ultra cameo proof 1888 Quarter Eagle has lustrous, bright devices contrasting with reflective, mirrored surfaces. For the grade, the surfaces are in good condition with no nicks or extensive hairlines. As expected there is no wear at all on the coin, and it is fully struck on both sides.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head quarter eagle. It was minted from 1840 to 1907, the longest span of any coinage series without any major design modification. In that period of time 11,921,171 Liberty Head quarter eagles were minted.

Gobrecht used the coronet motif for his Liberty Head quarter eagle design. It shows a profile of Liberty facing left. Her hair is tied in the back with beads as two curls flow down her neck. On the coronet the word LIBERTY is inscribed. She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars and the date, which is below the truncation. At the periphery are dentils on both sides of the coin. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with wings outstretched looking to the left. In its talons it holds the olive branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle, interrupted by the wing tips. The denomination written as 2 ½ D. is below, separated from the inscription by dots.

In 1859 James Longacre, who was now the Mint Chief Engraver, slightly modified the reverse by making the arrowheads smaller and further apart; however, in San Francisco the old reverse was used until 1867. In 1866 it was mandated that the motto IN GOD WE TRUST be added to all coinage large enough to accommodate it. It was decided that the quarter eagle was too small for this modification.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Kneass. After Kneass’ debilitating stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif which was used for all denominations of sliver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and sliver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle.

The proof 1888 quarter eagle had an original mintage of 97 so it is fundamentally rare in all conditions. About 50 are known to exist today. In its population report, NGC lists only this one in PF63 UCAM with 2 better.