No Date Gold Quarter - BG-204A

Coin Details

Auction Record

$45,600 AU58 03-15-2021 Kagin's

Description

This undated California Fractional Gold Quarter Dollar (BG-204A) is a round gold piece measuring approximately 10 to 11 millimeters in diameter — smaller than a modern dime. Produced during the early California Gold Rush era, this diminutive coin served as genuine small-denomination money in San Francisco and the surrounding mining regions, where the scarcity of federal small coinage created strong demand for locally produced gold pieces. Like the majority of California fractional gold pieces, this coin bears a Liberty Head portrait on its obverse, executed in the miniaturized style necessitated by the tiny planchet. The reverse presents the denomination value and date, typically encircled by a laurel or oak wreath. 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 undated piece presents a particular challenge for researchers, as the absence of a date makes precise attribution to a specific year or maker more difficult. Undated California fractional gold coins may represent pieces where the date was intentionally omitted from the die, or where heavy wear or a striking anomaly has rendered the date illegible. The Breen-Gillio catalog assigns separate numbers to undated varieties, recognizing them as distinct die products worthy of individual study.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Period One California fractional gold pieces (1852–1858) are generally rarer than later Period Two issues, as they were produced in smaller quantities for actual circulation rather than the souvenir trade.

Cross References

BG-204A; Breen-Gillio catalog; PCGS #133728; NGC #819299; California Fractional Gold Quarter Dollar; Round; Period One (1852–1858)