1834
Quarter Eagle - 1839 Quarter Eagle: Set of Two Classic Quarter
Eagles
The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of First and
Last Classic Head Quarter Eagles, 1834 and 1839
The Classic Head Quarter
Eagle was designed by William Kneass and minted from 1834
to 1839. Because the gold coinage in circulation was being
melted for its bullion value, Mint Director Samuel Moore
ordered Kneass to redesign quarter and half eagles with
lower weight and fineness. He also told Kneass to omit the
motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on the new Classic Head coins so they
would be easily identified as being made with less gold
content. This action prevented the older gold coins from
being exported, and the public was thus induced to bring
them into the Mint for recoinage.
The coin shows a head of
Liberty in profile facing left. She wears a LIBERTY inscribed
headband that reveals the curly hair on top of her head,
which also flows down her neck. She is surrounded by thirteen
six-pointed stars, and the date is below. Dentils are around
the periphery of the coin. The reverse shows a heraldic
eagle with its head facing left. In its talons are olive
branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle, interrupted
by the wing tips. The denomination, written as 2 ½
D., is below.
The obverse motif chosen
by Kneass is a copy of John Reich’s Large Cent design
of 1808-1814 and the half cents of 1825-1836. The eagle
of the reverse design is also similar to an earlier Reich
eagle designed for gold coins.
1834
Quarter Eagle - William Kneass was
born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a field engineer
in the War of 1812 and helped fortify the city of
Philadelphia. He was an engraver of plates for books
and had his business on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
In addition to line engraving he also made intaglio
prints. He worked in two firms, Kneass & Delaker
and Young & Kneass & Co. At the Mint, Kneass
was known as a popular and useful Engraver, who worked
well and quickly to furnish all the dies that were
needed for coinage during his time of office. He was
remembered as, “a warm gentleman of the old-school,
who had the rare quality of engaging and winning the
esteem and affection of children and youth.”
Kneass suffered a stroke in August, 1835. From then
until his death, Assistant Engraver Christian Gobrecht
did the pattern and die work at the Mint. He was succeeded
by Gobrecht as Chief Engraver on December 21, 1840.
The 1834 Classic Head quarter eagle
represented a major design change and weight reduction
for the type. The coin circulated and was also saved
so that a range of grades exists today. This first
year issue has long been popular with collectors as
a type piece. The splendid example offered here is
lustrous and flashy. Well struck and boldly defined,
only very light and even wear is present. Beautiful
honey gold and orange peel tones give it fantastic
eye appeal.
1839
Quarter Eagle - The year 1839 was
the last year of the Classic Head quarter eagle type.
It is considered the sleeper in the series because
fewer examples have been certified than any other
date. All were struck from a defective date punch,
which has been called an overdate.
This exceedingly rare, Mint State
1839 quarter eagle has significant luster remaining
in protected areas on both sides of the coin. The
coin is well struck with full details on about half
of the stars, Liberty’s hair, and the reverse
rims. The surfaces are original and clean for the
grade with no individually distracting abrasion marks.
The coin has nice eye-appeal because of the quality
of its surfaces and remaining mint luster.
