1851/1851-O Quarter Eagle - 1851/1851-O $2.50 NGC AU58 CAC. This double date, Southern branch mint, near-Uncirculated 1851-O quarter eagle is tied for the finest known at NGC. The coin shows bright mint luster in protected areas. It has an above average strike with full details on the centers of the stars and Libertys hair above the ear. Slight wear on the highest points gives this coin its near-Mint State grade, which is confirmed by CAC. Its sticker means that the coin is of premium quality and fully merits the grade assigned. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade with no individually distracting abrasions.

Breen describes the double date as first being punched slanting down to the right and then corrected. The early die states show parts of the extra 51 in the field. After the coin was reground, later die states show only a trace of the extra 1.

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. In that period of time 11,921,171 Liberty Head Quarter Eagles were minted.

Gobrecht used the coronet motif for his Liberty Head Quarter Eagle design. 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. 

The 1851-O double date quarter eagle is rare. In its population report, NGC shows 9 in AU58 with none better. PCGS does not distinguish the die variety in their population report, nor does CAC. As of June 2012, CAC has confirmed 9 1851-O quarter eagles, which includes all varieties, in AU58 condition with 2 better.