1840-C Quarter Eagle (1840-C $2.50) NGC MS60. This branch mint 1840-C quarter eagle shows uniform gold coloring on both sides. There is mint luster on the top of Libertys hair and curls on her neck, and on most of the high point of the reverse. The coin has a few tiny contact marks on Libertys cheek and on the reverse field.

It is fully struck and shows the remains of partial knife-rims. A knife rim is a raised extension at the outer edge of the coin. It occurs during striking when metal is forced between the die and the collar, which holds the coin in place. These sharp edges are usually an indication that the collar needs to be replaced. All of the azure and gules (horizontal and vertical lines in the shield) are intact and fully visible. The coin is very rare in conditions above XF. Christian Gobrecht redesigned the Reich-Kneass Classic Head coins that preceded this design. Because counterfeiting was a problem of the time, except for the addition of the dates and mint marks, the new quarter eagles were hubbed in their entirety.

Thus, variations were possible only in these two elements. Coins from the Charlotte Mint had both large and small Cs. For the present coin, a small C punch was used for its mint mark, which was placed touching the end of the arrow above the numerator in the denomination. The practice of using the 2 and for the denomination continued until 1908, when the quarter eagle was redesigned and replaced by Pratts Indian Head design.