1911-D Indian Quarter Eagle PCGS MS64. Ask any experienced collector which pre 1933 gold series would be the easiest to complete, and a share number of them will name the Indian quarter eagles. What is forgotten however, is the 1911-D, with its miniscule mintage of 55,680 coins.

Designed by Boston resident and sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, this and the half eagle of the same design were the first US coins that featured no raised edge, and all main devices and legends are incuse. This was not easily accepted by the general public at the time, and few people cared to set apart examples of these coins. As a result, even of the issues with the highest mintages, near gem and gem pieces are very scarce to rare.

One of the key factors in identifying the scarcity of this rare issue is the mintmark. On many pieces, of this and the other Denver issues, the mintmark is very weak. As a result, pieces with fully struck mintmarks command much higher prices than those that show a weak mintmark. This is the case in all grades, but especially so in mint-state.

The present piece shows no weakness and has a fully struck mintmark, and is rare as such. Only a few pieces have archived a higher grade at either PCGS or NGC, making this a rare opportunity for the specialist. A premium quality piece, this coin, certified in an older green holder is destined for the finest 20th century gold cents. No major hits are noted on the fields, although a few tiny marks account for the grade given to it by PCGS. Toned to a orange-golden color, this is a very attractive gold piece.

For anyone who wishes to complete this set, which is considered “easy”, this is the perfect coin. While it will cost many multiples compared to the other coins in the set, as soon as this coin is represented the other issues are easy. Act quickly to obtain the King of 20th century quarter eagles.