By Doug Winter – RareGoldCoins.com ……
CoinWeek Content Partner
As I researched the individual coins in the Star City Collection of Liberty Head quarter eagles, I was very interested to note that there were just four coins in the collection that weren’t approved by CAC. These were the 1844, the 1866, the 1867, and the 1870.
None of these four dates is especially well-understood by collectors and I thought it would be interesting to discuss each of them in some detail. Let’s begin with the 1867.
The 1867 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle
There were 3,200 examples made for circulation. This is comparable to the 1868 (3,600), the 1869 (4,320), and the 1872 (3,000), but the 1867 is much scarcer. There are an estimated 55 to 65 business strike 1867 quarter eagles extant, with most in the AU53 to AU58 range. The 1867 is almost never seen in grades lower than AU50, which strongly suggests that it didn’t see much circulation. Many are semi-prooflike and nearly every 1867 quarter eagle I’ve seen is extremely abraded with heavy marks seen in the fields. The natural color is rose-gold and orange-gold but only a small number exist that have not been processed. Surprisingly, there are a few nice examples known – including four or five in Uncirculated.
A Condition Census listing for this date is as follows:
PCGS MS65: Kansas Collection via Douglas Winter Numismatics, ex Heritage 1999 FUN: 7959 ($24,150).
PCGS MS64+ CAC: DL Hansen Collection, ex Heritage 4/2017: 4210 ($25,850; as PCGS MS64); Bowers and Merena 9/1994: 1342 ($11,500). This coin may also have been graded MS64 by NGC.
PCGS MS63: North Carolina Collection, likely ex Bowers and Merena 8/2010: 1549 ($13,800); Horseshoe Collection, Bowers and Merena 10/1999: 553 ($8,050); Harry Bass Collection. One other coin has been graded MS63 by PCGS.
PCGS MS61 CAC: Unseen by me.
As of 6/2023, PCGS had graded another eight coins in Uncirculated (two in MS60 and six in MS61) but I don’t regard any of these (with the exception of the CAC-approved MS61) as truly Uncirculated coins.
It is interesting to note that CAC has approved just six business strike examples of this date in all grades. Despite this fact, the 1867 has a PCGS Price Guide value of $1,750 in EF45. If a nice PCGS/CAC EF45 1867 quarter eagle were to come available, I expect it would bring at least three times this estimated price.
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About Doug Winter
In 1989, he founded Douglas Winter Numismatics. This firm specializes in buying and selling choice and rare US gold coins, especially US gold coins and all branch mint material.
Recognized as one of the leading specialized numismatic firms, Doug is an award-winning author of over a dozen numismatic books and the recognized expert on US Gold. His knowledge and an exceptional eye for properly graded and original coins have made him one of the most respected figures in the numismatic community and a sought-after dealer by collectors and investors looking for professional personalized service, a select inventory of impeccable quality, and fair and honest pricing. Doug is also a major buyer of all US coins and is always looking to purchase collections both large and small. He can be reached at (214) 675-9897.
Doug has been a contributor to the Guidebook of United States Coins (also known as the “Redbook”) since 1983, Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States and Colonial Coins, Q. David Bowers’ Encyclopedia of United States Silver Dollars and Andrew Pollock’s United States Pattern and Related Issues
In addition, he has authored 13 books on US Gold coins including:
- Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint: 1839-1909
- Gold Coins of the Carson City Mint: 1870 – 1893
- Gold Coins of the Charlotte Mint: 1838-1861
- Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint 1838-1861
- The United States $3 Gold Pieces 1854-1889
- Carson City Gold Coinage 1870-1893: A Rarity and Condition Census Update
- An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Type One Double Eagles
- The Connoisseur’s Guide to United States Gold Coins
- A Collector’s Guide To Indian Head Quarter Eagles
- The Acadiana Collection of New Orleans Coinage
- Type Three Double Eagles, 1877-1907: A Numismatic History and Analysis
- Gold Coins of the Dahlonega Mint, 1838-1861: A Numismatic History and Analysis
- Type Two Double Eagles, 1866-1876: A Numismatic History and Analysis
Finally, Doug is a member of virtually every major numismatic organization, professional trade group, and major coin association in the US.
