1859 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The 1859 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin was struck at three mints, including Philadelphia, Dahlonega (D), and San Francisco (S). The 1859 had a new look, the letters are smaller and more widely spread than they are on previous years and the arrowheads are noticeably smaller. Also, there are differences in the shape of the claws, olive branch and wing tips. This ‘new’ design would continue through the end of the series in 1907 and San Francisco issues from the years 1877 through 1879. However, some Philadelphia coins from 1859, 1860, and 1861 also exhibit the older reverse design with the large letters.
While collectors will go above and beyond trying to get their hands on these coins, they will only go through extreme effort to get their hands on one of these coins that are in excellent shape. That is why you will see the most well-preserved pieces selling for prices far higher than other, less well-preserved coins.

Grading the 1859 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The coin grading process is very thorough and can become very complex. Although coins go through a subjective grading process, much of a coin’s assigned grade is attributed to the opinion of an expert coin grader. These expert coin graders thoroughly examine each coin to determine how well the coin has stood the test of time and to determine the coin’s overall condition. Just as with other types of coins, the better the overall condition of the coin, the more valuable the coin may be. You can get a good idea of a coin’s grade by closely examining both sides of the coin and looking for any imperfections in the coin’s images, wording, texture or color.

Use the specifications below to determine how your Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin may be graded.

Uncirculated: An uncirculated Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin is one that shows no signs of wearing or imperfections. Although these coins are well over 100 years old, a coin in this condition will look as if it just came out of the mint’s presses. Uncirculated coins will have no wear and tear on the imagery or wording, although they may take on a slightly different color or tone due to age. You can very easily use a magnifying glass to examine your coins. The magnifying glass makes it easy to examine the coin’s images and other details, and you can look to see if some of the details have been worn away slightly over time.

Extremely Fine: Just a step below uncirculated condition, an extremely fine coin will show only minor wear on the coin’s images or wording. Some of the smaller details of the coin may be worn due to age and exchanging hands over the years. In addition, the coin’s texture may feel smoother overall. Despite this, coins in extremely fine condition are considered to be in excellent condition and are still very attractive.

Fine: A coin in fine condition has kept all of its details intact, and they are easily discernible. There are, however, visible signs of wear and tear on the coin. Coin details such as lettering or images may be worn down and smooth and the coin’s finish may appear duller.

Good: A coin in good condition has very visible signs of wear and tear, and you may need a magnifying glass in order to determine the coin type, mint year and other information. While coins in good condition are nowhere near pristine, they are often times still very popular among collectors due to potential scarcity and difficulty in obtaining.

Pricing the 1859 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin is easy to price simply because there are only a few different factors you have to take into consideration. For one, because there were multiple types of these coins produced every year, the type of coin you have will directly influence the price you pay for it. The condition of the coin is also something that plays into the price. The more well-preserved the coin is, the higher the asking price will be. Below is a chart of the prices you can expect to pay for a Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin from 1859 given its condition and type.