1861 Quarter Eagle (1861 $2.50) Type 1, Old Reverse, PCGS AU55. Civil War Quarter Eagle. This Civil War dated 1861 quarter eagle shows subdued mint luster throughout the devices. Some minor contact marks show on Libertys face, but the reverse is virtually mark-free. The strike is above average in the central portions of the coin, which are often found to be weak. Christian Gobrechts quarter eagle design lasted for over sixty-five years.

It was reduced and modified from his design for the eagle. To minimize counterfeiting and variation, except for the date and mint mark, the coins were completely hubbed, unlike earlier issues where design elements were added separately. Since they were added by hand, variations occurred mainly in the date and mint mark. The present coin is the Old Reverse variety, as indicated on its holder.

With a total mintage of 1,283,788 for the date, one would think the coin to be common. However, the PCGS population report shows a total of just 43 Type 1s (Old Reverse) certified in all grades.