1837-42 C. Bechtler Quarter Eagle - 1837-42 C.Bechtler $2.50 NGC MS62 CAC. This undated, very rare, still lustrous 1837-42 C. Bechtler $2.50, 70G, 20C, Kagin 13, KM 91, Breen 7762 (Bechtler quarter eagle) is tied for the finest known at NGC and the second finest at PCGS. It is fresh to the market and has pleasing, original color and surfaces that are clean and, for the grade, free of abrasions or other distractions worthy of individual mention. The surfaces are a mixture of greenish and yellow-gold. The grade of MS62 is confirmed by CAC, which indicates that it is a premium quality piece and fully merits the assigned grade. The coin is fully struck with none of the letters of the legends showing any weakness. The coin has As that are missing their crossbars, and it is struck from rotated dies.

In 1829 Alt Christopher Bechtler, Sr. and his family, his wife, two sons, and a nephew emigrated from Baden (Germany) to the United States. He first opened a watchmaker store in Philadelphia, and then went to North Carolina during one of the early gold rushes. From 1831 to the 1850s he and his family operated a private mint. In so doing he produced more than a million coins. Because his coins were reliable as far as their weight and gold content were concerned, he was able to succeed against the other private producers and obtained a large fortune.

Bechtler gold coinage was praised by his contemporaries. We have been shown a specimen of the ingots assayed and stamped by Mr. Christopher Bechtler, at his establishment near this town. The piece shown us, in point of the execution of the relief letters is not as handsome as we had wished it to have been; but Mr. B. informs us that he intends to prepare new dies and such improvements as have standard coin of the United States. The pieces are 20 carats fine, or 2 carats below the standard of the United States. The piece of $2.50 weighs 3 dwts. and 3/4 gr., and that of the $5 piece 6 dwts. 1.5 gr., or very nearly somaking them worth about 82 cts. 6 m. per dwt. This standard has been assumed on account of the great variety which exists in the fineness of the gold, as obtained from the minessome of it being 22 and others only 19 carats fine. Mr. B. has undertaken the enterprise at the suggestion of several gentlemen of the highest standing among our miners, for the purpose of putting into use the actual resources of the region, as a circulating medium in the transaction of business. The risk and expense of sending gold to the mint is such that the owners of the mines often find it difficult to dispose of the products of the mines at a fair value, as things now are. The urgent petition to Congress for the establishment of a branch of the US Mint in the gold region having failed, and the gold produced being in a fair way to entirely disappear from the country and fall into the rusting hoards of Europe, this scheme has been resorted to as the only means of effecting the objects in viewthe retaining the preplicit (sic) confidence should be placed in the Assayer.

Mr. Bechtler is, unquestionably a man of competent science and skill to assay and bring the gold of the mines to a standard value, in the form of coin; and we believe he has the entire confidence of all who have any acquaintance with himthat he is a man of the strictest honesty and singleness of purpose,and we trust public confidence will not be disappointed in regard to him, as it has been with some others (a reference to Templeton Reid whose short-lived Private Mint was shut down in 1830).
The Bechtlers produced gold dollars, quarter eagles, and half eagles. The coins were struck in three finenesses: 20 carats, 21 carats, and 22 carats. The coins produced were honest. Any variation in the fineness was because of the limited technology of the time.

In 1838 the Charlotte and Dahlonega Mints opened. Bechtlers production started to decline. In 1840 Bechtler reported to the Treasury Department that he had coined $2,241,840 from 1831 to 1840.

In late 1840 Christopher gave the mint to his son, August who continued making coins. Christopher died in 1842, and August moved the mint to a house in Rutherfordton. He made a large quantity of dollar gold pieces there. These dollars are the most common Bechtler issues today.

In 1846, August died and Christopher, Jr. took over the minting business. The only coins produced were the A. Bechtler dollar gold pieces that were of questionable weight and fineness struck from rusted dies. The mint closed in 1850.
The Bechtlers were the most prolific, longest lasting, and successful of the pioneer and territorial gold coiners. Their coins were universally accepted and often contract specified that payment be made in Bechtler gold coin. Irregular planchets, incomplete strikes, and rotated dies are common in the series.

The 70G, 20C Bechtler quarter is especially rare. In its population report, NGC shows this coin tied for the finest with 4 others. At PCGS there is 1 in MS62 with 1 better. CAC does not list population numbers for Pioneer and Territorial coins.