1834
Quarter Eagle - 1834 Classic $2.50 NGC AU58
CAC. This near-Uncirculated, first-year-of-type
Classic Head 1834 Quarter Eagle has an above
average strike with full details on the centers
of the stars and the reverse rims. The dentils,
which are doubled at the top of the obverse,
are well struck on both sides. Original, bright
mint luster is seen within the devices, especially
in protected areas. The coin is a mixture
of light and dark yellow gold, which indicate
its originality. The surfaces are clean for
the grade with no notable abrasion marks or
other distractions. The CAC sticker assures
that the coin is of premium quality and well
within the grade range indicated.
The Classic Head quarter eagle
was minted from 1834 to 1839. Designed by
William Kneass, it shows a head of Liberty
in profile facing left. She wears a LIBERTY
inscribed headband that reveals the curly
hair on top of her head, which also flows
down her neck. She is surrounded by thirteen
six-pointed stars, and the date is below.
Dentils are around the periphery of the coin.
The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with its
head facing left. In its talons are olive
branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc around
the eagle, interrupted by the wing tips. The
denomination, written as 2 ½ D., is
below.
Because the gold coinage in
circulation was being melted for its bullion
value, Mint Director Samuel Moore ordered
William Kneass to design quarter and half
eagles with lower weight and fineness. He
also told Kneass to omit the motto E PLURIBUS
UNUM on the new Classic Head coins so they
would be easily identified as being made with
less gold content. This action prevented the
older gold coins from being exported, and
the public was thus induced to bring them
into the Mint for recoinage.
The Classic Head motif chosen
by Kneass is a copy of John Reich’s
Large Cent design of 1808-1814 and the half
cents of 1825-1836. The eagle design is also
similar to an earlier Reich eagle designed
for gold coins.
In its population report,
as of August 2013, CAC had confirmed 16 1834
Classic Head Quarter Eagles at the AU58 grade
level.
