1857-S $2.50 (1857-S Quarter Eagle) NGC AU58 CAC. SSCA date. This lovely 1857-S Quarter Eagle has a full strike and a date that was common among coins found in the wreck of the S.S. Central America. The coin shows sharpness at the highest points of the hair, the stars centers, and the eagles neck, shield and lower feathers. While most of the coins of this date are well worn, this one is graded AU58 and confirmed by CAC, which indicates that it is a premium quality piece.
Few 1857-S quarter eagles have sold at auction in all grades in the last decade. The Bass Collection had multiple examples, which may be most of the coins that are available today.

Christian Gobrecht designed the coronet motif for the quarter eagle. 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 as of April 2011, CAC confirmed 3 1857-S quarter eagles in AU58 with 1 better.