Coin

2½ Dollars "Coronet Head - Quarter Eagle" (1851) — United States

United States • 1851 • KM# 72, PCGS# 1817, 7717-7732, etc.

2½ Dollars "Coronet Head - Quarter Eagle" (1851) — United States

Overview

A gold 2½ Dollars coin of the United States from 1851, featuring the D mintmark of the Dahlonega Mint. Based on the Coronet Head design by Christian Gobrecht, it saw a mintage of 11,264 pieces in fine .900 gold alloy.

Specifications

Country
United States
Year
1851
Composition
Gold (.900) (.100 copper)
Weight
4.18 g
Diameter
18 mm
Mint
United States Mint of Dahlonega
Mintmark
D
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
References
KM# 72, PCGS# 1817, 7717-7732, etc.
Issuer
United States

Design details

Obverse

A coronet head left with the date below and 13 stars around the rim representing the original 13 colonies Script: Latin Lettering: LIBERTY 1907 Engraver: Christian Gobrecht

Reverse

Eagle with arrows and olive branch in talons Script: Latin Lettering: ·UNITED STATES OF AMERICA· 2½ D. Engraver: Christian Gobrecht

Collector insights

  • Design heritage: Christian Gobrecht is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
  • Struck at: United States Mint of Dahlonega (mintmark D). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Low mintage: Only 11,264 pieces reported. This puts the issue into key-date territory for its series; expect steep grade-based price scaling and a higher counterfeit risk — provenance and third-party grading matter.
  • Gold issue: Gold (.900) (.100 copper) — bullion demand competes with numismatic demand. Weight and fineness (not just face value) drive the melt-value floor.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 72, PCGS# 1817, 7717-7732, etc.. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

Curator Insights

Historical context

Following the discovery of gold in California, the United States increased production of smaller gold denominations to meet the needs of a growing domestic economy. The 1851 issue from the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia represents a period when local Southern branch mints were processing regionally mined ore and California bullion. This year marks a period of robust output for the Quarter Eagle series despite the geographic isolation of the Georgia facility.

Design heritage

Chief Engraver Christian Gobrecht designed both the obverse and reverse, drawing inspiration from neoclassical aesthetic trends of the mid-19th century. The obverse features Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed with her name, surrounded by thirteen stars, while the reverse depicts a heraldic eagle clutching an olive branch and arrows. Gobrecht's Coronet Head design proved remarkably durable, serving as the standard for the Quarter Eagle for over sixty years.

Varieties and technical notes

Collectors should focus on the 'D' mint mark located on the reverse below the eagle, which characterizes this issue from the Dahlonega Mint. The reeded edge should be examined for uniformity, as branch mint strikes of this era often exhibit characteristic die clashes or slight rotations. As with many Southern gold issues, the quality of the strike can vary, and examples with full feathered detail on the eagle are particularly noted by specialists.

Survival and modern availability

With a low original mintage of 11,264 pieces, the 18-D Quarter Eagle is significantly scarcer than its Philadelphia counterpart. Many of these coins saw heavy circulation in the pre-Civil War South, leading to a high attrition rate and a low survival rate in Mint State grades. The Gold Reserve Act of 1934 further reduced the existing population, making surviving specimens prized examples of Southern numismatic history.

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