The 1875 Liberty Quarter Eagle (Buy on eBay) has the second lowest mintage of the series, after the famous 1854-S Quarter Eagle. The present issue had a mintage of only 400 pieces, which it seems were produced to prevent the creation of instant rarities in the proof strikings, as new quarter eagles were not needed in commerce at the time.
A relatively significant portion of the circulation strike mintage was saved, and an estimated 50 to 60 examples of the 1875 Quarter Eagle are still in existence. The majority of these will show at least some signs of circulation, and perhaps only three to five truly uncirculated pieces exist.
The scarcity of the circulation strike issue adds some demand for the proof version of the coin. The 1875 Proof Liberty Quarter Eagle had a mintage of 20 pieces, which was a typical number for the era. Surviving examples are priced higher than proof issues of similar rarity due to the increased demand.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: Christian Gobrecht
- Composition: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Weight: 4.18 grams
- Diameter: 18 mm
- Edge: Reeded
