1862 Quarter Eagle - 1862 $2.50 NGC PF. Despite a light cleaning, this Civil War dated rare proof 1862 Quarter Eagle retains its cameo-like appearance and excellent eye appeal. We see satiny devices against somewhat darker fields on a coin that would probably grade PF62. As expected, the strike is full and sharp on both sides. No wear is visible, in keeping with a mint state grade. The surfaces are free of individually distracting marks that are worthy of description.

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 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 LIBERTY inscribed on the coronet. She is surrounded by thirteen stars, and the date is below the truncation. The reverse shows the 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.
The coinage act of 1865 specified that motto IN GOD WE TRUST should be added to all coins large enough to accommodate it. The Mint interpreted this law to mean that the motto had to be added to silver coins larger than the dime and gold half eagles, eagles and double eagles. Because of its size, the quarter eagle was exempt.

In 1826 Gobrecht did his first work for the Mint as an assistant to Kneass. After Kneass 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 sliver coinage including the half-dime, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar and sliver 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.

With an original mintage of 35, all proof quarter eagles of this date are extremely rare. PCGS estimates that 12 to 15 pieces have survived. Both major grading services have certified 18 pieces all together in all grades, and these numbers do not account for resubmissions and crossovers.