1895 $2.50 (1895 Quarter Eagle) NGC MS66 PL. This rare, low mintage, superb, proof-like, 1895 Quarter Eagle is tied for second finest at NGC and the finest at PCGS. The strike is bold with full details on the highest points of Libertys hair, the centers of the stars, the eagles neck, the area to the lower left of the shield and the dentils on both sides. If fact the strike is so sharp that if it were the only criterion, one would think that this piece is a proof coin. As it is, because of the contrast between the satiny devices and the darker fields, the piece has been given the proof-like designation. Researchers believe that proof-like coins are early strikes. Of course, there is not a trace of wear, and the surfaces are clean and virtually mark-free.

Christian Gobrecht, the designer of this quarter eagle, 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 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.

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.

With an original mintage of 6,000, the 1895 quarter eagle is scarce in all grades. This was the last year that the mintage of quarter eagles fell below 10,000 pieces. Choice and gem examples are especially rare. In its population report, NGC shows 1, the present coin, in MS66 PL with 1 better. PCGS does not distinguish between regular and proof-like strikes. Its population report shows 12 in MS66 with none better.