1908
Quarter Eagle - 1915 Quarter Eagle: Set of Two Proof Indian
Head 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 Quarter Eagles, Proof Indian Head 1908 and 1915
Proof coins of the early
twentieth century had several experimental finishes. Most
are seen in Matte Proof, a sandblasted texture with low
reflectivity. A so called “Roman Finish” was
also used. It was lighter yellow in color and more reflective.
These finishes are somewhere between the dull Matte Proof
and the reflective mirror finish of prior proofs in the
Liberty Head series.
The Indian Head quarter
eagle was designed by Bela Lyon Pratt, a student of Augustus
Saint-Gaudens. It and the similar half eagle were different
from what had preceded in that the designs were incused.
The background of the prior issues had become the foreground.
The design was sunk into the field and shown in relief.
The design was not popular with the public. As soon as they
were issued, objections were made. It was said that the
incused features would retain dirt and the coins would be
unsanitary. They were also too easily counterfeited and
couldn’t be stacked, and the design was not natural.
Pratt chose an authentic
looking Indian brave in profile looking left wearing a realistic
headdress. Above is the word LIBERTY and below is the date.
Six stars are on the left and seven are on the right. The
reverse, in homage to Saint-Gaudens, shows the standing
eagle facing left. Below it are arrows and an olive branch.
E PLURIBUS UNUM is in the left field and IN GOD WE TRUST
is in the right. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, separated by
dots, arcs above the eagle, and the denomination 2 ½
DOLLARS is below.
The Pratt quarter eagles
were issued from 1908 to 1915 and from 1925 to 1929; however,
no proofs were minted in the years 1925 to 1929. In total
1,827 proof coins of this design were issued from 1908 to
1915. Both major grading services show a combined total
of 1001 proof coins for all dates.
1908
Quarter Eagle, Proof Indian Head
- The 1908 proof quarter eagle was the first Matte
Proof of the denomination. Its mintage was 236, so
like many proofs of this era it is fundamentally rare
in all conditions.
This matte proof Indian Head 1908
quarter eagle has original mustard colored surfaces
and nearly complete knife-rims on both sides. The
coin is virtually mark-free, as expected for the grade.
The strike is, of course, full with every detail of
the design readily apparent. The beautiful coin is
a close to perfection as you can get for a proof coin
of this date. The matte texture of the coin proved
unpopular with the public, who were used to the high
contrast proof finishes of the previous design. Today
they are coveted by those familiar with the series.
1915
Quarter Eagle, Proof Indian Head
- The last year for proofs in the Indian Head quarter
eagle series is 1915. The proof coins of this year
were struck in the darker, coarser sandblast finish
that had been used previously in 1914. With a mintage
of 100, this coin is the key to the series and a major
rarity, especially in Superb Gem condition.
The 1915 Proof Indian Head quarter
eagles is one of the most important of all 20th century
gold coins. Rare in all grades, as can be expected
with such a low mintage, only an estimated 35 to 40
pieces survive. The granular surfaces, a characteristic
of these rare proofs, are a highlight along with a
full strike. Another characteristic of these proof
gold coins is the khaki-gold color, which confirms
its originality.
