Gobrecht's
Liberty Head Quarter Eagle (1840-1907): Christian
Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head Quarter Eagles.
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 of the Liberty Head
Quarter Eagle are dentils on both sides of the coin. The reverse
of the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle 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.
As an anti-counterfeiting
device, these coins were completely hubbed except for the
date and mint mark. The dates were entered by hand. In 1873
a new 3 was used because the old one was the “closed
3” and was easily mistaken for an 8.
In 1848 gold came from California
to Philadelphia to make medals for Generals Zachary Taylor
and Winfield Scott. Mint Director Patterson ordered that the
coins from the excess of this gold deposit be struck with
the abbreviation CAL. on the reverse above the eagle. Forgeries
have been made by privately punching CAL into regular 1848’s,
and authentication is strongly recommended. (All USRCI coins
are authenticated by one of the major grading services.)
Despite the fact that the
coin was not custom designed to mark the event, many numismatists
consider the 1848 CAL. to be the United States’ first
commemorative coin. It commemorates the first shipment of
gold from California to the United States Mint, and one could
argue that it is a separate subtype within the quarter eagle
series.
Mintages for the Liberty
Head Quarter Eagle range from a high of 1,404,668
in 1853 to a low of 246 the next year in San Francisco. This
low mintage took place because of a shortage of the acids
necessary to separate silver from the gold ore. The meager
supply of acid was used for the double eagles of that year.
Authentication is highly recommended for any 1854-S coins.
The same is true for any 1841 Philadelphia coins, which have
an unknown mintage.
1840
Quarter Eagle - The Philadelphia Mint produced the
first Quarter
Eagles of Christian Gobrecht’s design in 1840.
Only 2 proofs known to exist today....More
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1840-D
Quarter Eagle - Low mintage date, by far the rarest
of the four quarter eagle issues of 1840 is that of the
Dahlonega Mint. Its mintage...More
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1841
Quarter Eagle - The first of several Proof-only dates
for the quarter eagle denomination, it is believed that
no business strike. Only 4 proofs known to exist today...More
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Low
mintage date, less than 100 known in all grades; rare
in all grades, only 4 certified in Mint State; often found
with roughness on Liberty’s neck. Look for repunching
on date.
These
are found with either a Small Date and a Crosslet 4 or
a Large Date and a Plain 4, with the former being very
rare with only 70 to 80 known in all grades, and prohibitively
rare in Mint State, usually well struck with sharp wire
rim on obverse. Large Date only 150 to 200 known, exceedingly
rare above MS61, most are weak on center of obverse.
These are found with either a Small Date and a Crosslet
4 or a Large Date and a Plain 4, with the latter being
the rarer of the two varieties. Exceedingly rare above
MS62.
Low
mintage coin; less than 100 known in all grades. Prohibitively
rare in Mint State, none certified higher than MS62. Only
1 proof has been certified.
Low
mintage date, less than 100 known, exceedingly rare in
all grades, usually weakly struck with weak dentils, a
few have DPL surfaces, prohibitively rare in Mint State.
Low
mintage date, only11 to 12 known in all grades, one of
the rarest U.S. regular issued coins. Listed in 100 Greatest
U.S. Coins. One AU50 highest certified grade.
Low
mintage date, usually weakly struck on centers. Only 50
to 60 known in all grades. Exceedingly rare in all grades,
prohibitively rare in Mint State.
Low
mintage date, only 45 to 55 known in all grades. Usually
weakly struck with planchet flaws, prohibitively rare
in all grades, highest certified MS61.
1859
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Found with Old and
New Reverse, which has smaller arrowheads and letters.
Available in lower uncirculated grades, exceedingly rare
above MS63. Only 7 proofs have been certified.
1860
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Found with Old and
New Reverse, which is more common. Exceedingly rare in
Mint State. Only 14 to 16 proofs known today.
Usually
well struck with clashed dies, rare above MS62; look for
the 1862/1 overdate, only 50 to 60 known in all grades.
Only 12 to 15 proofs known today.
1864
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Low mintage date,
only 18 to 22 known in all grades, prohibitively rare
in Mint State. Only 25 to 30 proofs known today.
1865
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Low mintage date,
only 35 to 40 known in all grades, only 1 certified in
Mint State. Only 15 to 18 proofs known today.
1866
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Low mintage date,
only 60 to 75 known in all grades, often weakly struck,
prohibitively rare in Uncirculated grades. Only 20 to
22 proofs known today.
1867
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Low mintage date,
high grade specimens often with prooflike surfaces, exceedingly
rare in Mint State. Only 25 proofs known today.
1869
Quarter Eagle Proof Quarter Eagle Low mintage date,
sometimes prooflike, very rare in Mint State, none certified
higher than MS63. Only 16 to 20 proofs known today.
Low
mintage date, less than 100 known in all grades, often
with prooflike surfaces; exceedingly rare in Mint State,
only 2 specimens certified above MS62. Only 30 to 35 proofs
known today.
Low
mintage date, last mintage of quarter eagles below 10,000;
usually well struck except some weak at dentils; usually
available in Mint State. Only 60 to 80 proofs known today.
