1854-O Quarter Eagle (1854-O $2.50) Broadstruck, NGC AU55. Rare New Orleans gold error. This warm, lustrous 1854-O quarter eagle was made at the mint in New Orleans. The surfaces are free of annoying blemishes, and there is only a bit of wear on the highest points of the design. The coin is weakly struck in the centers, which is typical for the date. It is also broadstruck, which is rare for a gold coin. In 1840 the Coronet or Braided Hair quarter eagle was minted. It was designed by Christian Gobrecht. The design remained in use and substantially unchanged until 1908, when Bella Lyon Pratts Indian Head quarter eagle replaced it.

A coin is made by the simultaneous striking of a planchet between two dies, the hammer and the anvil. During this process a collar holds the planchet in place. A broadstrike takes place when the planchet has not been properly fed into the coining chamber and is not held by the collar. All broadstruck coins have no edge reeding and are larger than normal in diameter because the coin metal squeezes sideways from between the dies.