1841-C Quarter Eagle - 1841-C $2.50 NGC AU58. This Southern branch mint, near-Mint State 1841-C Quarter Eagle has wonderfully clean surfaces and is well struck for the date and mint. The piece shows full details on most of the centers of the stars, on the eagles neck, and the area to the lower left of the shield. The surfaces are original and clean with no individually distracting abrasion marks. Highlights of bright mint luster are found within the devices on both sides of the coin.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. It was minted from 1840 to 1907, the longest span of any coinage series without any major design modification. It shows a profile of Liberty facing left. Her hair is tied in the back with beads as two curls flow down her neck. On the coronet the word LIBERTY is inscribed. She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars and the date, which is below the truncation. At the periphery dentils are on both sides of the coin. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with wings outstretched looking to the left. In its talons it holds the olive branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around the eagle, interrupted by the wing tips. The denomination written as 2 D. is below, separated from the inscription by dots. 

All Charlotte gold coins are scarce. Much of it is rare, and some is extremely rare because of a combination of low mintages and melting overseas. Many coins that were minted before the Civil War were used to purchase armaments abroad. Much of this coinage was melted in Europe to make coins of the realm. Only a tiny fraction of the C mint coinage survives today.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Kneass. After William Kneass suffered a debilitating stroke, Gobrecht did all the die and pattern work for the Mint. He became Chief Engraver in 1840 and served until his death in 1844. He was famous for his Liberty Seated motif which was used for all denominations of silver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and silver dollar. He also designed the Liberty Head gold eagle, a motif that was also used on the half-cent, the cent, the gold quarter eagle, and the gold half eagle. 

The 1841-C quarter eagle has an unusually high number of AU grades assigned. No doubt this number is inflated because of numerous resubmissions by collectors and investors trying for a rare Mint State grade. In its population report, NGC shows 23 1841-C quarter eagles in AU58 with 6 better. PCGS has 5 in  AU58 condition with 1 better.