1839-D Quarter Eagle - 1839-D $2.50 NGC MS61. This rare, Mint state, Southern branch mint, 1839-D Classic Head Quarter Eagle shows not a trace of wear, in keeping with the grade. The surfaces are original, and, aside from a small scratch from the back of Libertys head to between Star 10 and 11, they are clean with no other marks of significance. Subdued mint luster is seen in protected areas. The greenish-gold color is typical of coins from a Southern branch mint. The strike is uneven with some stars showing details along with most of Libertys hair. On the reverse, the rims are strong, but there is weakness on the eagles neck and wings.

The Classic Head quarter eagle was minted from 1834 to 1839. Designed by William Kneass, 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 D. is below.

Because the gold coinage in circulation was being melted for its gold content, Mint Director Samuel Moore ordered William Kneass to design 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 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.

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 discovery of gold in the early 1800s led to the establishment of two of the Southern branch mints, Charlotte North Carolina and Dahlonega Georgia. In 1835 an act of Congress mandated that these two branch mints would coin only gold. The New Orleans Mint also opened to handle gold from Mexico. In 1838 the first Dahlonega gold coins were made, and they were the Classic Head half eagle type. Because of the local alloys high silver content, Dahlonega gold coins often have a green-gold cast. They are also often weakly struck on irregular planchets. They are eagerly sought by collectors and investors because of their low mintages and rarity. Modern D mint coins should not be confused with Dahlonega coins. Today a coin bearing the D mintmark was minted in Denver, which began production in 1906.

The 1839-D is the only Dahlonega quarter eagle in the series and the only Classic Head struck at that mint. It is a difficult issue to locate especially in Uncirculated condition. In its population report, NGC shows 5 in MS61 condition with 6 better. At PCGS there are 2 with 10 better, and these numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions.