1861 $2.50 Type 2 (1861 Quarter Eagle Type 2) NGC MS64. This mint state, Civil War dated 1861 Quarter Eagle has a needle sharp strike seen on the centers of the stars, the highest points of Libertys hair, the eagles neck, the lower left of the shield, and the feathers below it. The dentils are also full and bold. The coin is bright and lustrous and, of course, shows no wear, in keeping with a mint state grade.

Christian Gobrechts quarter eagle 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 1859, James B. Longacre, then the Mint Engraver, slightly changed the reverse design creating the Type 2 coins. He made the arrowheads smaller and spaced them further apart.

In its population report, NGC has certified 79 quarter eagles in MS64 condition, tied for third best, with 8 better.