Numismatic

1909 $2.50 Indian Gold Quarter Eagle MS-61 NGC

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The 1909 Gold Quarter Eagle represents a fascinating departure from traditional coin minting. Unlike typical coins where the design stands out in relief, this United States issue features an incuse design, meaning the details are sunken directly into the flat surface of the metal. This innovative technique gives the coin a completely flat profile while protecting the intricate details of the artwork from excessive wear. On the obverse, the design presents a depiction of Liberty wearing a traditional Native American feather headdress. This figure is encircled by thirteen stars representing the original colonies, along with the word LIBERTY and the 1909 date. The reverse displays a proud bald eagle standing among the classic national mottos, including E PLURIBUS UNUM and IN GOD WE TRUST, surrounded by the country name and the two and a half dollar denomination. Crafted from 0.900 fine gold, this coin contains 0.1209 troy ounces of precious metal. It was designed by Bela Lyon Pratt and belongs to a mintage of 441,760 pieces. This specific specimen has been certified in Mint State 61 (MS-61) condition, preserving the unique recessed fields and sharp details of this intriguing era of American coinage.