Rare
1894 Liberty $2.50 NGC PR66+ UCAM. GEM ULTRA CAMEO - $32,500 Click on Coin Image to
enlarge
GEM
ULTRA CAMEO. With its original mintage of only 122 total,
the 1894 Proof quarter eagle is rare in all conditions.
NGC shows 2 1894 quarter eagles in PF66+ UCAM with 1
higher. As expected for an ultra cameo, the coin exhibits
lustrous, satiny devices over deep mirrored fields.
The mark on Liberty’s chin, called a “wart”
by Breen, and the ultra cameo finish are both indicative
of an early strike, which is impeccable in the detail
that is shown on both sides. No significant individual
marks or hairlines are visible to the unaided eye.
Please contact me by email
or telephone 1-941-291-2156
to reserve this great coin.
Christian Gobrecht’s 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 ½ 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 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.
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.
