1860-C Quarter Eagle - 1860-C $2.50 NGC AU55. This low mintage, Choice AU, Southern branch mint 1860-C quarter eagle is the last issue from the Charlotte Mint. It is always seen with a weak strike on rough planchets. The present piece is no exception but is, nevertheless, quite nice with a fresh look and original surfaces. Muted mint luster is found within the devices in protected areas. Just a slight bit of wear and a few abrasion marks keep this piece from a Mint State grade.

In the 1790s gold was accidentally discovered in North Carolina. The first United States Gold Rush took place in the early 1800s in North Carolina and Georgia. In the area around Charlotte, North Carolina almost 100 gold mines were in operation. Second only to farming, prospecting for gold became the main source of employment in North Carolina. The most gold produced in the United States came from North Carolina until 1848, when it was discovered in California.

All Charlotte Mint coins have the C mintmark on the reverse except for the first two years quarter and half eagles, which had them on the obverse between the truncation and the date.

Christian Gobrecht designed the quarter eagle. It was produced without substantial modification from 1840 to 1907, the longest span in any United States coinage series. It uses the Coronet design which shows Liberty in profile facing left, her hair tied tightly in beads, except for two curls one down the back of her neck and the other on the side below her ear, with the word LIBERTY inscribed on the coronet. She is surrounded by thirteen stars, and the date is below the truncation. Dentils are around the periphery of both sides. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle facing left holding arrows and olive branch it its talons. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs around it, interrupted by the wing tips, and the denomination 2 D. is below. The denomination is separated from the legend with dots.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to William Kneass. After 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 large number of AU certified specimens of the 1860-C quarter eagle with few Mint State numbers, suggests that there have been numerous attempts to upgrade through resubmissions. In its population report, NGC shows 17 in AU55 with 32 better. At PCGS there are 9 in AU55 with 7 better. These numbers do not account for crossovers or resubmissions.