1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coins were struck in two minting facilities including the Philadelphia and San Francisco (S) mints. The Liberty Had $2.50 Gold Coin reduced the size of lettering in 1859 on the Reverse of the Philadelphia minted gold coin. However, some Philadelphia quarter eagles were made with the older reverse, which featured large lettering.

The Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin is made from a composition of 90 percent gold and 10 percent copper, which is the typical “coin gold” alloy for gold coinage of the era. The 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin weighs 4.18 grams and measure 18 millimeters in diameter, which means they are approximately the size of a standard U.S. dime. These gold quarter eagle coins contain a total of 0.1202 ounces of gold.

Grading the 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The process for grading coins is a long and thorough one. While there are specific steps that are taken, a coin’s final grade is determined by expert coin graders. These numismatists will extensively examine each coin in order to determine the coin’s overall condition. The better the overall condition, the more valuable the coin may be. The examination includes inspection of the coin’s details such as imagery and text, as well as a complete assessment of the coin’s color and finish. You can actually examine your coins yourself as well, and can get a good idea of how your coin may be graded based on its appearance, condition, mint year and relative scarcity.

Use the specifications below to determine how your 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin might be graded.

Uncirculated: A 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin in uncirculated condition will show zero signs of physical wear. Despite being over a century old, these coins look as if they have just been rolled out of the mint’s presses. They appear and feel brand new. The coin’s text and images will show no signs of wear, although the coin’s color and finish may show signs of age. You can easily use a magnifying glass yourself to closely inspect the coin’s obverse, reverse and edge. Using a magnifying glass will allow you to see if all coin details, such as images or text, remain new in appearance, or if they have been degraded over the years.

Extremely Fine: The next step down the grading ladder is extremely fine. An extremely fine Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin will have minor wear on the images, text or edges. Some of the coin’s details, may appear worn or feel smooth. Despite this, the coin is still considered to be in excellent condition and has maintained its crisp appearance over time.

Fine: While a coin in fine condition has retained its images or text, the detail may be obviously worn. In addition, the coin’s finish or color may be duller, and the coin has obvious signs of wear.

Good: A coin considered to be in good condition has clear and significant wear and tear. This damage can make it difficult to identify the coin, and a magnifying glass may be needed to do so. Although these coins are not in the greatest condition, they may still be very valuable. Relative scarcity, certain mint years and other factors may make these coins difficult to obtain.

Pricing the 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

When it comes to trying to determine a price for the 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin, or any other coin for that matter, the first thing you must look at is the condition of the coin. Condition means everything to collectors so it only follows that those well-preserved pieces will sell for the highest prices. Secondly, because there were multiple types of gold coins produced annually, the exact type of coin also plays into how much the asking price will be. Below is a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you can expect to pay for a 1861 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin given its grade and type.