1852-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The United States Mint branch facility in Charlotte struck 9,772 quarter eagles in 1852 using only one of the three pairs of dies shipped to it from Philadelphia (Winter die pair 14-I). As is typical for Charlotte, the obverse and reverse of the 1852-C Liberty Head quarter eagle often exhibit partial wire rims. Strike quality will vary, which means that even in uncirculated grades, coin detail ranges from poor to average when compared to the Philadelphia Mint issue.

The Charlotte Mint did not produce quarter eagle $2.50 gold coins in 1853.

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1852-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

When gold coin specialist Doug Winter published his book Charlotte Mint Gold Coins, 1838-1861: A Numismatic Study and Analysis in 1987, only one coin was confirmed to exist in Mint State. Today, PCGS reports 10 grading events in Mint State, while NGC reports two. CAC started certifying coins in 2023 and as of February 2024 has not holdered any examples of the 1852-C. The highest reported grades are MS63 (PCGS) and MS62 (NGC).

In late 2010, the PCGS population report data indicated four examples at MS61 with a lone MS63 finer. Today, the population has increased somewhat and our table indicates some upgrading has occurred, but nothing egregious. What likely has happened is a more informed understanding of the rustic quality of the Charlotte and Dahlonega southern gold issues has led the services to reconsider earlier grades on a few “in-between” coins.

Top Population: PCGS MS63 (1, 1/2025), NGC MS62 (1, 1/2025), and CAC MS62 (2:0 stickered:graded, 1/2025).

• NGC MS62 #1784513-005 CAC: Stack’s, June 1977, Lot 841 ; Stack’s, February 1980, Lot 49; Elrod Collection; Paul Dingler Collection; “The Grand Lake Collection”, Heritage Auctions, February 6, 2009, Lot 2517 – $16,100. ELROD on insert; “The Cherokee County Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2012 – $18,400. Reholdered and CAC added. Discoloration to the right of Liberty’s neck between stars 12 and 13. Dark spots frame star 11. Wire rim from about 10 o’clock to about 7 o’clock on the obverse. Eagle strike is average. Spot on eagle’s neck. Dark spot below second S of STATES.

• PCGS MS61 #15589828: Heritage Auctions, November 2, 2017 – $15,600. Thin scratch below stars 7 and 8. Scattered toning spots throughout. Eagle is softly struck, but typical.
• PCGS MS61: Stack’s Bowers, November 4, 2010, Lot 4852 – $13,225. Deep hit on cheek. Two hits between starts 4 and 5 and a hit between stars 8 and 9. Eagle is flatly struck to the bottom left of the shield, top lines of the federal shield are weakly struck, dark toning in the crevasses of STATES F and A in the legend and also in the Eagle’s right wing.
• PCGS MS61 #15731160: As PCGS AU58 #3132150. “The Carolina Circle Collection”, Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 3092 – $11,500. PCGS Gen 3.0 holder; As NGC MS60 #3128673-001. Heritage Auctions, February 6, 2009, Lot 2516 – $7,475. As PCGS MS61 #15731160. Heritage Auctions, October 23, 2009, Lot 1308 – $14,950. Upgraded from AU58 to MS61. Planchet likely improperly annealed leading to porosity on the Liberty’s face.
• NGC MS61: Stack’s Bowers, March 20, 2007, Lot 1464 – $11,500. Hit below chin. Die gouge below the left tip of the base of 2. Scratch below star 7 and another below star 8. Scratch to the right of star 11. Deep hit below eagle’s right wing. Lightly clashed dies. Eagle is above average. Pronounced wire rim on the right side of the obverse.
• NGC MS61 #1727322-001: “The Della Collection”, Heritage Auctions, September 15, 2006, Lot 3167 – $13,800; Heritage Auctions, January 23, 2007, Lot 14110 – $13,110. Eagle weakly struck. Small dark streak below star 7.

• NGC MS60 #1721044-018: Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2018, Lot 6019 – $6,600. Eagle weakly struck. Thin scratch across the face from nose to hair. Two scratches between stars 7 and 8.
• NGC MS60: As PCGS AU-58 #20774654. Heritage Auctions, August 14, 2015, Lot 6043 – $6,462.50; As NGC MS60. Stack’s Bowers, November 4, 2010, Lot 4853 – $7,864.85. Crossed and upgraded from PCGS AU58 to NGC MS60. Hit behind eye, hit above B on diadem, pronounced wire rim from the top of the obverse to about 7 o’clock. Eagle’s neck, shield, and left side are softly struck. Hit below S in STATES. Diagonal hairlines in the fields most prominent at the bottom of the design.

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Coin Specifications

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