Post Your SF Quarter Eagles
HandH
Posts: 438 ✭✭✭
With a mintage of 24,000 the 1861-S $2.50 has an estimated 85 survivors. Virtually all of this issue circulated in commerce to some degree. The issue is scarce to rare in all grade, with the vast majority of survivors grading no finer than VF/EF. Per Paul Taglione, the strike is characteristically weak in the hair curls of Liberty and in the central regions of the Eagle. The numismatic rarity is R-8.1 for all grades and R-9.8 for MS. This HandH example is PCGS AU 55 CAC. Only two finer at CAC.
With a mintage of only 8000 there are an estimated 80 survivors. Similar to the 1861-S $2.50, virtually all of is mintage was heavily circulated and the typical example is graded VF/EF. There are, however, several nice examples in MS. The finest by far is a PCGS MS 63+. The typical strike is slightly weak in the lower sections of the Eagle but generally better struck than many SF quarter Eagles of the same era. The numismatic rarity is R-8.2 in all grades and R-9.8 in MS. The HandH example is PCGS AU 58 CAC. Only two finer at CAC.
What a great underappreciated series. Post em if ya got em.
US Civil War coinage
Historical Medals
4
Comments
The 1867-S and 1869-S $2 1/2 aren't particularly rare, but they're also not too common with this kind of look. Both are CAC approved.
The 1879-S $2 1/2 has been described as a "sleeper" by Doug Winter. 19 in AU55, 14 higher. This one is CAC approved in AU55.
US Civil War coinage
Historical Medals
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
March of Time - 27 Centuries in Gold
https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=36590
The 63-S has a similar rarity profile to the 62-S. There were 10,800 minted with an estimated 60-70 known. AU or better pieces are very rare.
The 1856, 1857, and 1859 San Francisco pieces are not quite as rare as the Civil War dates, but all three are scarce in nice AU.
The 1860-S is a relatively easier date than those immediately preceding or following it. This particular piece is only VF30, but is a favorite of mine in the set because of its dirty, original look.
Here is the rest of my quarter eagle set: Pasadena Collection of SF Quarter Eagles. It is complete save the 1854-S, so it's as complete as it ever will be! My ultimate goal will be to have the whole set in AU55-58 CAC, so I will keep plugging away with upgrades as I also continue to try to finish the larger G$1-$5 set, which still needs about 8-9 coins outside of the three non-collectible ultra rarities (link in my signature below).
SF Quarter Eagle NEWP: 1866-S in PCGS AU58/CAC. The 1866-S is not nearly as rare overall as the Civil War dates immediately preceding it. There are about 200 known, and is pretty easy to find in lower grades, but is conditionally very rare in high AU or higher. This AU58 has pop 10/4 at PCGS, with just 3 MS61s and 1 MS62 better, and this example has much better strike, color and surfaces than numerous other examples I have looked at over the past few years.
Awesome thread!
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Great Examples of San Francisco Quarter Eagles!
Nice coins!
Latin American Collection