1897 $2.50 (1897 Quarter Eagle) PCGS PF62 DCAM. This rare, deep cameo, proof 1897 Quarter Eagle has lustrous devices that contrast with darker mirrored fields. Deep cameo means that the fields are fully mirrored, and that the coin was most certainly an early strike. For the grade the fields are clean and original. The strike is full in all respects, as expected for a proof coin.
Christian Gobrecht’s quarter eagle was produced without substantial modification from 1840 to 1907, the longest span in any United States coinage series. It uses the Coronet design which shows Liberty in profile facing left, her hair tied tightly in beads, except for two curls one down the back of her neck and the other on the side below her ear, with the word LIBERTY inscribed on the coronet. She is surrounded by thirteen stars, and the date is below the truncation. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle facing left holding arrows and olive branch it its talons. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs around it, interrupted by the wing tips, and the denomination 2 ½ D. is below. The denomination is separated from the legend with dots.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Engraver William Kneass. After Kneass’ suffered a 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 1897 proof quarter eagle had an original mintage of 136, making it a fundamental rarity in all grades. In its population report, NGC has certified 1, the present coin, in PF62 DCAM with 12 better.