1839-O Quarter Eagle - 1839-O $2.50 NGC XF45. The 1839-O Quarter Eagle is the first year of issue for the denomination at the New Orleans Mint. The coin shows some mint luster remaining within its devices. Its surfaces are yellow gold with an orange and greenish tint. These colors show the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions. Although worn, in keeping with the grade, the details of Libertys hair are plain. The reverse is even more detailed.

Designed by William Kneass, the Classic Head, No Motto type was issued from 1834 to 1839. It 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 mintmark is on the obverse above the date.

Because the gold coinage in circulation was being melted for its bullion value, 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.

Southern branch mint coins are particularly desired by collectors. This is especially true of the early years that have the mintmark appearing on the obverse of the piece. In its population report, NGC shows 34 1839-O quarter eagles certified at the XF45 grade level.