1848-C $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle NGC XF45

David Akers writes of this issue, “Very scarce in all grades,” while Doug Winter writes, “it is very rare and … underrated in higher grades.” This rare issue had a mintage of only 16,788. NGC has graded only 174 original examples of the 1848-C quarter eagle. Of those, there are 31 in XF45 with 114 finer. Collectors Universe prices this issue at $4,250.00 in XF45.

The U. S. Mint and Assay Office in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was the first branch mint of the United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Writes Jeff Garrett, “A large number of the 1848-C Liberty Head quarter eagles were struck from bulged dies, and the quality of manufacture is quite poor. The coins are difficult to grade and almost appear to be damaged. The strike is particularly weak on the central portions of the obverse around the word LIBERTY. A small portion of the mintage was sharply struck, and these coins command a premium. The typical 1848-C quarter eagle grades Very Fine or Extremely Fine. Quite a few examples have been graded in various states of About Uncirculated, but true Mint State coins are very rare.”