1880/76 Gold Quarter - BG-885

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,280 MS67 01-03-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1880 California Fractional Gold Quarter Dollar (BG-885) is a tiny round gold coin, measuring approximately 10 to 11 millimeters in diameter and representing a 25 cents denomination in the California fractional gold series. 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 carries a small but detailed portrait of Liberty, the workhorse design of the California fractional gold series. Dozens of different Liberty Head dies were used across the many die varieties cataloged by Breen-Gillio, each with subtle differences in hair arrangement, coronet style, and portrait positioning. The reverse shows the denomination and related inscriptions. The remarkably diminutive size is one of the distinctive hallmarks of California fractional gold coinage, making these among the smallest coins ever struck for genuine commerce and adding a novelty that has long attracted collectors. This variety displays an overdate (1880/76), 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

Available in the California fractional gold market. Period Two pieces are the most frequently encountered fractional gold issues, though condition and specific variety affect value significantly. The 1880/76 overdate is a collected variety that typically brings a premium over non-overdate issues of the same year and denomination.

Cross References

BG-885; Breen-Gillio catalog; PCGS #10746; NGC #501885; California Fractional Gold Quarter Dollar; Round; Period Two (1859–1882)