1908 Quarter Eagle Pattern - J-1922

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1922 is a pattern for the 1908 Indian Head quarter eagle designed by Bela Lyon Pratt, a Boston sculptor who studied under Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Pratt's design for the $2.50 denomination introduced the incuse (sunken relief) technique to the smaller gold denominations, creating a companion piece to Saint-Gaudens' incuse Indian Head eagle. The obverse features a left-facing Liberty wearing a feathered Native American headdress, closely modeled on the eagle's obverse but adapted to the smaller quarter eagle planchet. The reverse displays a standing eagle with folded wings perched on a bundle of arrows with an olive branch. Both sides are rendered in incuse, with the design elements recessed below the coin's flat field. The incuse quarter eagle and half eagle were controversial upon release, with prominent numismatist Samuel Hudson Chapman publicly criticizing the recessed design as unsanitary and un-American. Despite the controversy, the design entered production in 1908 and continued through 1929, ultimately earning wide appreciation as one of the most distinctive and artistically successful types in American gold coinage. This pattern documents the design in its final experimental stage.

Rarity Notes

R-7 (Extremely Rare). Fewer than 10 specimens exist. Pratt incuse quarter eagle patterns are highly desirable due to the design's unique place in American numismatic history.

Cross References

Judd J-1922, Pollock P-2112