1880/70 Gold Quarter - BG-799I

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,055 MS66 01-04-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

This octagonal California gold quarter dollar, designated BG-799I in the Breen-Gillio catalog, dates to 1880 and measures approximately 10 to 11 millimeters in diameter. The second period of California fractional gold production saw these coins transition from pure monetary instruments to items valued equally by tourists, collectors, and jewelers who fashioned them into ornamental pieces. The obverse features a Liberty Head design — a portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet or wreath — which is the most prevalent motif across the California fractional gold series. The reverse displays the denomination within a wreath or decorative border. The octagonal format is one of the distinctive hallmarks of California fractional gold coinage, distinguishing these pieces from conventional round coins and adding visual interest that has long attracted collectors. This variety displays an overdate (1880/70), where a new date was punched over an earlier date already present in the die. Overdates in the California fractional gold series provide evidence of die reuse — a practical economy measure by the private coiners who manufactured these pieces. The traces of the underlying date are typically visible upon close examination, and overdate varieties are sought by specialists for the insight they provide into production practices.

Rarity Notes

Scarce to rare. Lettered suffix varieties in the Breen-Gillio catalog typically represent less common die states or minor die varieties, and often survive in smaller numbers than the primary catalog entry. The 1880/70 overdate is a collected variety that typically brings a premium over non-overdate issues of the same year and denomination.

Cross References

BG-799I; Breen-Gillio catalog; PCGS #10635; NGC #502716; California Fractional Gold Quarter Dollar; Octagonal; Period Two (1859–1882)