1861 Quarter Eagle - 1861 $2.50 Type 2, NGC XF DETAILS. This New Reverse, Type 2 Civil War dated, 1861 Quarter Eagle shows even wear on the high points, in keeping with the grade. Although lightly cleaned, the color is still acceptable; and there is remaining mint luster within the devices. The strike is above average with full dentils on both sides of the coin. For the grade, the surfaces are clean with relatively few abrasion marks, and none so prominent that it warrants individual description.

Christian Gobrechts 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 D. is below. The denomination is separated from the legend with dots.

The Type 2 or New Reverse came about when, 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.