1857 Quarter Eagle Die Trial - J-A1857-3

Coin Details

Auction Record

$15,275 MS65 04-26-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

This die trial of an 1857 quarter eagle ($2.50 gold coin) preserves the dies used for one of the Philadelphia Mint's smallest gold denominations. The obverse features James Barton Longacre's Liberty Head design — Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed "LIBERTY," her hair swept back in a classical arrangement, surrounded by thirteen stars with the date 1857 below. The reverse displays the spread eagle with shield, olive branch, and arrows, with "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" above and "2 1/2 D." below. The 1857 quarter eagle had a Philadelphia mintage of 214,130 pieces in gold, a healthy production figure reflecting the denomination's continued popularity in mid-century commerce. Quarter eagles served as a convenient small-denomination gold coin for transactions where silver or copper would have been too bulky. This die trial was struck to verify the working dies before gold production commenced — a standard quality control procedure that was especially prudent for gold denominations, where each planchet represented significant monetary value. The small diameter of the quarter eagle (18 millimeters, roughly the size of a modern dime) made die quality particularly important, as any weakness or distortion in the dies would be visually prominent on such a compact coin. Die trials of gold denominations in any metal are scarce because the Mint prioritized efficient production over the creation of test pieces.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. Die trials of Liberty Head quarter eagles are seldom encountered, typically known in one to three specimens per variety.

Cross References

Judd-A1857-3