Numismatic

1850 $2.50 Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle AU

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Struck in the year 1850, this gold quarter eagle carries a face value of two and a half dollars and represents a fascinating era of American coinage. Minted in Philadelphia, this coin does not bear a mint mark, which was the standard practice for the mother mint at the time. It is composed of 90 percent gold, containing approximately 0.12094 troy ounces of the precious metal. Out of a total mintage of 252,923 pieces, this specimen survives in an impressive Almost Uncirculated condition. The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Liberty, designed by Christian Gobrecht. Her hair is bound with a band clearly inscribed with the word 'LIBERTY', and she is encircled by thirteen stars representing the original colonies. The year 1850 is boldly struck beneath the bust. On the reverse, Gobrecht's heraldic eagle dominates the design, clutching an olive branch and arrows with a shield draped across its chest. The legend 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' arches over the eagle, while the abbreviated denomination '2 1/2 D.' is anchored at the bottom. This coin offers a remarkable window into the artistry of mid-nineteenth-century American gold.