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2 1/2 Dollars 'Quarter Eagle' Pattern, Gilt Copper
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Judd#189 Gilt, Pollock#226 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | LIBERTY 1857 |
| Reverse description | A heraldic bald eagle displayed at center, its wings fully outstretched, bearing a vertical striped shield on its breast. The eagle clutches an olive branch in its right talon and a bundle of arrows in its left, symbolizing peace and war. The legends UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arc around the upper periphery, while the denomination 2 1/2 D. appears in the lower field. The design follows the standard Liberty Head Quarter Eagle reverse type, with fine detail in the feathers and shield stripes. A beaded inner border frames the entire composition. |
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| Additional information |
Judd-189 belongs to a cluster of pattern quarter eagles struck in 1857 as the Mint explored alternative compositions for small-denomination gold coinage. By the mid-1850s, the bullion value of circulating gold coins was creeping toward — and occasionally exceeding — face value, making copper and gilt-copper substitutes an active area of experimentation rather than a collector curiosity. Most surviving examples of this gilt copper variant were almost certainly distributed directly to congressmen or Mint insiders rather than released through any commercial channel.
Pollock-226 cross-references confirm this piece as a recognized die marriage within the pattern series.