Classic Gold Quarter Eagle

Posted by Stephen Halkovic on June 13, 2012

Coin	Weight (g)	Composition	Gold Melt Value	Full Melt Value
Classic Head(1834-1839)	4.18	Gold 90%, Copper 10%

1836 Classic Quarter Eagle

The Classic Gold Quarter Eagle was minted in 1834 and continued through 1839. These gold coins are 17.5 millimeter in diameter, weigh 4.18 grams which contain ninety percent gold, and the remaining ten percent is probable seven parts copper to three parts silver however records are not clear.

The Mint Director Samuel Moore was finally able to get Congress to responded to the changes in gold prices throughout Europe in 1829. However it was not until 1834 that the US Congress finally agreed how to change the gold coinage weights and fineness. Moore had the Chief Engraver William Kneass design the quarter eagle gold coins.

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Classic Half Eagle Gold Coin Close to Spot Price

The obverse design is similar to John Reich’s Large Cent design used in 1808 through 1814 as well as the half cent minted in 1825 to 1836. Liberty’s head faces left with flowing curly hair and a band reading “LIBERTY”. Directly under her along the rim is the date and the rest of the coin has thirteen stars encircling Liberty.

1839-C Classic Quarter Dollar reverse

The reverse is based on Reich’s design having the bald eagle with wings spread in a perched pose and a national shield over its breast. The eagle clutches three arrows in it left talon and an olive branch in its right. Directly underneath the eagle is the denomination “2 1/2 D.” at the rim. Along the rest of the rim encircling the eagle is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”. The motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM” was left off at Moore’s instruction in order to denoted the change of gold content.

1839-C Classic Quarter Dollar obverse

The Mint in Philadelphia struck these every year of this series with no mint mark and about 10 proof coins each year. In 1838 mint branches were opened in Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega, Georgia striking gold coins only and in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Charlotte branch started striking these in 1838 using a “C” for its mint mark. Then in 1839 both Dahlonega and New Orleans also began striking the quarter eagles using a “D” and “O” respectively as mint marks. The mint marks are located under the Classic Head and above the date on the obverse.

The 1834 there were two variations of the head, one called “Small” and the other “Booby”. In 1835 the head was altered to be taller and thinner. Later that year Kneass had a stroke and his assistant engraver Christian Goberecht. Goberecht only made minor changes to the Classic Quarter Eagle from year to year. The one other notable variation is generally recognized and that is the 1836 strike when some of the date’s “8”’s are as they had always been and then some are “script”.

The 1834 Coin Act created a gold standard that kept United States’ gold coins to stay in circulation within the United States allowed substantially more gold coins to be minted. Nearly one million (968,228) Classic design quarter eagles were struck with well over half a million (547,986) struck in 1836. The 1838-C is the Key date for this series with less than eight thousand (7,880) be minted.