1837 $2.50 (1837 Quarter Eagle) NGC MS60. Classic Quarter Eagle. This mint state Classic Head 1837 Quarter Eagle has significant, bright mint luster remaining in protected areas on both sides of the coin. The coin has an average strike for the date with weakness showing at the centers. About half the stars are well struck as are the rims and dentils on the reverse. No wear is seen, as expected for a mint state coin. The surfaces are clean, original, and, for the grade, free of individual distractions worthy of mention.

William Kneass was the second Chief Engraver of the Mint from 1824 until his death in 1840. He designed the Classic Head motif that was used on both the quarter eagle and half eagle coins. He was also responsible for modifications of Reichs Capped Bust dime through half-dollar from 1829 to 1837. He used this modified design to reintroduce the half dime in 1829. 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 and his wife, Mary Turner Honeyman Kneass, had six children. Two of them became famous. Samuel was a noted Philadelphia-based architect and engineer, and Strickland was also an engineer.

The Classic Head motif chosen by Kneass is a copy of John Reichs Large Cent design of 1808-1814 and the half cents of 1825-1836. The eagle design is also similar to an earlier Reich eagle designed for gold coins.

There were several design changes in the series. In 1834 there were two heads, the Small Head and the Booby Head. The next year there was a taller head and a narrow bust. In that year Kneass suffered a debilitating stroke. Christian Gobrecht, his assistant, made the next dies. The 1836 had a Head of 1835 and another with a Head of 1834. No doubt these were made from earlier dies. In 1837 Gobrecht made a new die, which had his own change. The hair slopes back from the brow, distant from the sixth star. In 1838 he made a crude imitation of the Booby Head with tiny stars. In 1839 all of this uncertainty ended with the introduction of the Coronet Head motif that was standardized for sixty-seven years.

In its population report, NGC shows this coin tied for fourth finest with 7 others in MS60 with 38 better.