Numismatic

1861 $2.50 Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle Type 2 MS-62 NGC

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This gold quarter eagle, minted in 1861, represents a fascinating survivor from a momentous era. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin carries a face value of two and a half dollars. It is composed of 90 percent gold, containing 0.1209 troy ounces of precious metal. Because it was produced in Philadelphia, it bears no mint mark, a traditional characteristic of the mother mint's output during this period. The obverse of the coin displays the classic Liberty design, with the date 1861 clearly visible beneath the portrait. This particular specimen has survived the decades in remarkable condition, earning a certified grade of Mint State 62 (MS-62). Finding a gold coin from the first year of the American Civil War in such a well-preserved state offers a direct, tangible link to the past, inviting us to marvel at the craftsmanship of mid-nineteenth-century American coinage.