1879 $2.50 Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle NGC MS66

From the wagon trains of the Oregon Trail to the building of the railways or the first skyscrapers, this coin could have been present at these moments in history. Now it could be yours. The $2.50 Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle is the coin that saw the transformation of a nation, produced as it was between 1840 and 1907. Perhaps this coin crossed the Mississippi on a wagon heading for the Western Frontier, or its owner felt the lure of the metropolis; who knows?

Communication, trade, finance, entertainment and transport all faced a metamorphosis during this period; at some point or another, this coin would have been a part of it, integral as it was to commerce at the time. The fact that the Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle was so well used is what makes this piece with a mint state of 63 so special and a valued addition to your collection. It's a coin that was instigated by the 1792 coinage act, which not only established the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia but outlined the coinage it would produce, including what we know today as the dime and the dollar. Along with these coins, the act specified Eagles ($10) and its fractional denominations, the Half Eagle ($5) and Quarter Eagle ($2.50).

This $2.50 Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle was produced from 1840 for a further 67 years, enduring far longer that its four previous forbearers. In fact, it's a coin design that's been used longer than any other in the United Sates. It was also struck from gold that was finer than its predecessors, setting a new standard for these coins. This enduring design was the work of Christian Gobrecht, though it is indebted to the work of John Reich and William Kneass before him. The obverse design features a left-facing Liberty portrait, pictured wearing a coronet displaying the word LIBERTY; her hair is curled up at the back in a loose knot decorated with a string of beads, though some strands of hair have escaped. Below the truncation of the portrait is the year of issue. Inside the dentilled rim are 13 stars denoting the original colonies of the United States, while the edge is reeded.

The reverse design shows a majestic-looking eagle, facing left with its wings displayed, almost stretching to the rim of the coin. In front of the eagle's breast is a union shield. The eagle clutches arrows and an olive branch in its talons, representing America's military might and commitment to peace. The wording UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds much of the design, separated only by the eagle's wing tips and leaving just enough room for the value of 2½D.

Coin Highlights:

• Minted in the year 1879
• US - Philadelphia Mint
• $2.50 USD Face Value
• 0.1209 oz of gold
• MS66 condition graded by NGC