Coronet Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle Gold Dollars

Liberty-Coronet Head Quarter Eagles 1840-1907 Facts:

Originally designed by John Reich, the 1840-1907 version was probably modified by Robert Ball Hughes. The heraldic eagle has its wings spread from rim to rim with the union shield covering its breast. An olive branch representing the country's peaceful intentions is in the eagle's right claw, with three arrows emphasizing military preparedness in the left. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the eagle, with the denomination 2 1/2 D. beneath the bird.

Between 1840 and 1907, a total of 11,921,171 Coronet quarter eagles were struck at five mints: Philadelphia (no mintmark), Charlotte (C), Dahlonega (D), New Orleans (O), and San Francisco (S). Mintmarks can be found on the lower reverse beneath the eagle.

The series contains many individual rarities, some of legendary status, and a large number of scarce issues. Its exceptional length-remaining unchanged for 68 years, unlike the larger denominations that received the motto in 1866-makes it a very difficult series to complete. Charlotte and Dahlonega quarter eagles are particularly rare and expensive in mint condition, and these pieces are the keys to a collection from the five mints. San Francisco and New Orleans issues are also very scarce in AU and mint state, but generally undervalued compared to other mint marked gold coins with similar mintages and survival rates. The most commonly found Coronet quarter eagles in mint state however, are the Philadelphia issues from 1851 through 1853, 1861, 1873, 1878 and after 1886. Philadelphia does have its rarities though: Civil War issues and the dates from 1874 through 1877, when specie payments were still suspended, are quite elusive. Some low mintage dates like the 1881 and 1885 exist today in larger numbers than their mintage would suggest: fortunately, many were recovered from European hoards.

The series is replete with important coins, but none more famous and historically significant than the 1848 CAL. quarter eagle. Made from some 230 ounces of native California ore shipped eastward in 1848, the resulting 1,389 quarter eagles are distinguished by the abbreviation CAL. stamped into the die above the eagle's head, and all authentic specimens have a square period after CAL. Many collectors consider these CAL. quarter eagles to be the first commemorative coins struck in the U.S., predating the Columbian half dollar by 44 years.

Also struck in the Philadelphia Mint are two other dates that have achieved fabled status, the 1841 and 1875. The 1841 has affectionately been labeled "The Little Princess." Approximately fifteen examples are known and these extraordinarily rare coins have only been found in the finest and most comprehensive collections. The 1875 Philadelphia issue is another very rare date, with only 400 pieces struck and an estimated 23-25 examples surviving. Another famous rarity is the first year of issue from the San Francisco Mint, the 1854-S-one of the standout rarities in all of U.S. numismatics, with a scant 9-15 specimens believed to exist today in all grades. Only 246 quarter eagles were struck in that initial year, because the San Francisco Mint lacked parting acids (the same problem that plagued private minters at the time).

When grading Coronet quarter eagles, friction begins to first show on the tip of the coronet and above the eye on the obverse, and on the wing tips and claws of the eagle on the reverse. Striking quality is usually quite good and should not present difficulties for most post-1878 issues, but earlier branch mint coins are especially prone to weakness on the hair curls around Liberty's face and on the left leg of the eagle. Counterfeits are sometimes encountered, but the most frequently seen dates for bogus pieces are the common dates between 1900 and 1907. Altered mint marks exist on certain key dates such as 1841 and 1875, but the diagnostics for the dies used to strike genuine coins are widely known: authentication is highly recommended.

The unchanging durability of the Coronet design on quarter eagles is unrivalled in the history of U.S. coinage. This exceptionally long span of time still stands as the longest uninterrupted use of a coin design without a major design alteration.

Date/Mint Mark	Grade	Value
1840	F12	$175
1840-C	F12	$1,300
1840-D	F12	$2,500
1840-O	F12	$190
1841 Proof only	EF	$50,000
1841-C	F12	$1,200
1841-D	F12	$1,700
1842	F12	$330
1842-C	F12	$1,300
1842-D	F12	$1,500
1842-O	F12	$250
1843	F12	$175
1843-C Large date	F12	$1,100
1843-C Small date	F12	$2,000
1843-D Small D	F12	$1,200
1843-D Large D	F12	$------------
1843-O Large date	F12	$225
1843-O Small date	F12	$175
1844	F12	$275
1844-C	F12	$1,100
1844-D	F12	$1,200
1845	F12	$175
1845-D	F12	$1,200
1845-O	F12	$550
1846	F12	$215
1846-C	F12	$1,200
1846-D	F12	$1,300
1846-D/D	F12	$------------
1846-O	F12	$175
1847	F12	$175
1847-C	F12	$1,200
1847-D	F12	$1,300
1847-O	F12	$175
1848	F12	$300
1848 CAL	F12	$15,000
1848-C	F12	$1,200
1848-D	F12	$1,300
1849	F12	$175
1849-C	F12	$1,200
1849-D	F12	$1,300
1850	F12	$175
1850-C	F12	$1,200
1850-D	F12	$1,300
1850-O	F12	$175
1851	F12	$175
1851-C	F12	$1,200
1851-D	F12	$1,300
1851-O	F12	$175
1852	F12	$175
1852-C	F12	$1,200
1852-D	F12	$1,300
1852-O	F12	$175
1853	F12	$175
1853-D	F12	$1,600
1854	F12	$175
1854-C	F12	$1,100
1854-D	F12	$2,500
1854-O	F12	$175
1854-S	F12	$75,000
1855	F12	$175
1855-C	F12	$1,500
1855-D	F12	$2,500
1856	F12	$175
1856-C	F12	$1,200
1856-D	F12	$5,500
1856-O	F12	$175
1856-S	F12	$175
1857	F12	$175
1857-D	F12	$1,300
1857-O	F12	$175
1857-S	F12	$175
1858	F12	$175
1858-C	F12	$1,200
1859 Reverse of 1858	F12	$185
1859 Reverse of 1859-1907	F12	$175
1859-D	F12	$1,700
1859-S	F12	$225
1860 Reverse of 1858	F12	$1,600
1860 Small letters & arrowhead, reverse of 1859-1907	F12	$175
1860-C	F12	$1,300
1860-S	F12	$195
1861 Reverse of 1858	F12	$600
1861-S	F12	$21