2½ Dollars "Coronet Head - Quarter Eagle" (1901) — United States

Overview

A Proof strike 2½ Dollars gold coin of the United States, commonly known as a Quarter Eagle, minted in 1901 with a limited mintage of 223 pieces. The obverse features a left-facing coronet head with 13 stars representing the original colonies, while the reverse depicts an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, this piece is composed of .900 gold and exhibits mirror-like fields characteristic of Proof coinage.

Specifications

Country

United States

Year

1901

Composition

Gold (.900) (.100 copper)

Weight

4.18 g

Diameter

18 mm

Mint

United States Mint of Philadelphia

Shape

Round

Technique

Milled

References

KM# 72, PCGS# 1817, 7717-7732, etc.

Issuer

United States

Design details

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 Philadelphia. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
• Low mintage: Only 223 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.

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Browse more items in the full catalog or view United States in the country guide.