1846-O Quarter Eagle - 1846-O $2.50 NGC AU58 CAC. Muted mint luster is seen in protected areas of this Southern branch mint, near-Uncirculated 1846-O Quarter Eagle. The strike is somewhat above average with full details on centers of the stars and the hair above Libertys ear. The coin comes with a CAC sticker indicating that it is of premium quality and fully merits the grade assigned. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade. The last two digits of the date are thick and strongly impressed. They look as if they have been repunched. The 6 is larger than the other numerals. The mintmark is large and touches the arrow feathers and the claw.

Authorized to produce gold and silver, the New Orleans Mint struck quarter eagles and dimes in 1839. It operated from 1838 to 1909. In that time period 427 million silver and gold coins with the O mintmark were coined. By the mid 1850s denominations made in New Orleans included three-cent silver pieces, half-dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, gold dollars, quarter eagles, three-dollar pieces, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles. The first deposit was of Mexican dollars which amounted to more than 32,400 dollars. The first coins struck were Liberty Seated dimes. Each year between the beginning of August and the end of November, the mint closed because of the annual outbreak of yellow fever.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head quarter eagle using the coronet motif. 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 are dentils 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. 

In its population report, NGC shows 56 1846-O quarter eagles in AU58 condition with 24 better. At CAC as of May, 2012, there are 8 confirmed in AU58 with 3 better.