1872 Quarter Eagle - 1872 $2.50 NGC MS62. This low mintage, rare, Mint State 1872 Quarter Eagle is tied for second finest at both NGC and PCGS. The coins almost cameo appearance is a result of lustrous and frosty devices against darker fields. The coin is fully Uncirculated and has original surfaces that are clean for the grade with no individually distracting abrasion marks. The obverse strike is sharp with full details on the centers of the stars and Libertys hair. The reverse strike is above average with full details on the eagles neck. The appeal of this pretty piece is enhanced by hints of rose-gold within the devices.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. It was minted from 1840 to 1907, the longest span of any coinage series without any major design modification. In that period of time 11,921,171 Liberty Head Quarter Eagles were minted.

Gobrecht used the coronet motif for his Liberty Head Quarter Eagle design. 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 1859 James Longacre, who was now the Mint Chief Engraver, slightly modified the reverse by making the arrowheads smaller and further apart; however, in San Francisco the old reverse was used until 1867. In 1866 it was mandated that the motto IN GOD WE TRUST be added to all coinage large enough to accommodate it. It was decided that the quarter eagle was too small for this modification.

Christian Gobrecht was the third Chief Engraver at the United States Mint. He was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1785. His father was a German immigrant, and his mother traced her ancestry to the early settlers of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Gobrecht married Mary Hewes in 1818. One of his early positions was as an engraver of clocks in Baltimore. Later he went to Philadelphia where he became a banknote engraver. He invented a machine that allowed one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration.

This was an excellent job and Gobrecht was understandably reluctant to work for the Mint for less money than he was making at the engraving firm. In order to persuade him to leave, Mint Director Robert Patterson prevailed upon Chief Engraver William Kneass, who had had a stroke, to take less in salary so more money would be available to hire Gobrecht on a permanent basis. 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 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. 

In their Encyclopedia, Garrett and Guth say that the 1872 quarter eagle is, a low mintage issue that is always in demand. Branch-mint issues of similar rarity bring far higher prices, and it is probably only a matter of time before the scarce issues of Philadelphia are more fully appreciated. In its population report, NGC shows 3 1872 quarter eagles in MS62 condition with 3 better. At PCGS there is 1 in MS62 with 1 better.