Home› U.S. Coin Forum
Options

Question on 1836 classic head quarter eagles

KliaoKliao Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

I was doing a bit of researching on this 1836 classic head quarter eagle that I have (yes I know it has problems but I got it at a great deal). I found that the Mint act of 1837 changed the composition of the quarter eagle to 90% from 89.92% gold but sources have been giving me mixed info on the composition. The redbook says the composition is 89.92% and changed to 90% in 1837 while coinfacts shows the 1836 having a 90% gold composition. Other websites have been showing mixed info too. Does anyone know the composition of the 1836 quarter eagle? Thanks! :)

Collector
75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
instagram.com/klnumismatics

Comments

  • Options
    PQueuePQueue Posts: 901 ✭✭✭

    Breen says Classic $2.5 "Composition, 1834-36, gold 232/258 = 899.225 Fine, remainder copper with traces of silver; 1837-39, gold 90% (900 Fine), silver not over 5%, rest copper."

  • Options
    KliaoKliao Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So I guess that means that coinfacts along with a few other sites have make a mistake there. Coinfacts says that classic head quarter eagles from 1834-1836 are 90% gold.

    Collector
    75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
    instagram.com/klnumismatics

  • Options
    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,581 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Since the law changed in 1837, I would say that the 1836 coin was made under the .899225 standard. The first mint got into big trouble for rounding off these standards to .900 in it's early years.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • Options
    RonyahskiRonyahski Posts: 3,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PQueue said:
    Breen says Classic $2.5 "Composition, 1834-36, gold 232/258 = 899.225 Fine, remainder copper with traces of silver; 1837-39, gold 90% (900 Fine), silver not over 5%, rest copper."

    Yes, the change to 90% was made for coins minted starting in 1837. The 1837 law change mandated that no more than 5% of silver be used. Breen's statement that pre-1837 gold coins were made with copper and a trace of silver is not correct. In 1836 the Mint at Philadelphia followed a policy of 3:1 copper:silver. Prior to that, the policy was 2:1.

    Some refer to overgraded slabs as Coffins. I like to think of them as Happy Coins.
  • Options
    KliaoKliao Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thanks both for the neat info and history. :)

    Collector
    75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
    instagram.com/klnumismatics

  • Options
    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For .08 of a percent, well, moving along to the next great controversy ;) Cheers, RickO

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Format
SpoilerCodeQuote
Heading 2Heading 1
Emoji
:):D:(;):/:o:s:p:'(:|B):#:*<3o:)>:)
Url
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file
Home • U.S. Coin ForumComment As ...