1839-C $2.50 (1839-C Quarter Eagle) NGC AU58. This last year of type, branch mint 1839-C Quarter Eagle has a strong strike for the date and mint. Branch mint coins in this series are often weakly struck on the shield, the wing feathers, and the hair details. A considerable amount of bright mint luster remains within the devices on both sides. There is also sufficient separation among the strands of Libertys hair and between the hair and top of the ribbon to warrant the grade of AU58. The smudge mark above the IB in LIBERTY is on the holder not the coin.

Gold coins did not circulate at face value because the price of bullion was more than $2.50 worth of gold. The Coinage Act of 1834 remedied this situation by lowering the required weight for gold coins. For the quarter eagle it changed from 4.37 grams of .9167 gold to 4.18 grams of .8992 gold. This change enabled the coins to circulate effectively. To easily differentiate the new coins, William Kneass, the Engraver, designed a new Classic Head of Liberty, which was minted from 1834 to 1839.

The obverse 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 D. is below. The C mintmark appears on the obverse between the date and the truncation.

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.