US gold coins were widespread on the market in the past, but they are only sentimental treasures nowadays that many collectors and investors want to have. The US Mint produced two gold quarters in its history, the $2.5 Indian gold quarter eagle coin and 2.5 Liberty head gold quarter eagle coin.
The same characteristic for these pieces is that they are scarce and highly collectible. When estimating the 2.5 Dollar gold coin value, the only thing to do is check the particular specimen condition. Let’s see.
2.5 Dollar Gold Coin History
Quarter eagles were gold coins with a denomination of two dollars and fifty cents and authentic art pieces. The list of American 2.5 gold dollars includes:
- Turban head gold $2.50 quarter eagle minted from 1796 to 1807
- Capped bust gold $2.50 quarter eagle minted in 1808
- Classic head gold $2.50 quarter eagle minted from 1834 to 1839
- Coronet head gold $2.50 quarter eagle minted from 1840 to 1907
- Indian head gold $2.50 quarter eagle minted from 1908 to 1929
2.5 Quarter eagle dollar gold coin |
||||
| Feature | Turban head
(Capped bust) |
Classic head | Coronet head
(Liberty head) |
2.5 Indian head |
| Face value | $2.5 | |||
| Compound | 91.7% gold and 8.3% copper | 90% gold and 10% copper | ||
| Fineness | 0.9167 or 22 Karat | 0.8992 or 21.6 Karat | ||
| Coin weight | 0.14050 troy ounces (4.37 g) | 0.13439 troy ounces (4.18 g) | ||
| Gold weight | 0.12884 troy ounces (4 g) | 0.12094 troy ounces (3.76 g) | ||
| Coin diameter | 0.78740 inches (20 mm) | 0.70866 inches (18 mm) | ||
| Years of minting | 1796 to 1807 | 1834 to 1839 | 1840 to 1907 | 1908 to 1929 |
| Designer | Robert Scot | William Kneass | Christian Gobrecht | Bela Lyon Pratt |
| Shape | Round | Round | ||
| Edge | Reeded | Reeded | ||
The US Mint struck a relatively low coin number before 1834, but the gold content was higher. The first gold pieces were struck in 1796, and the last date of issue was 1929. However, their use was officially discontinued only in 1933 when the US left the politics of Gold Standard.
2.5 Dollar Gold Coin Types
You can find three primary varieties of early Liberty head gold quarter design and one Indian gold quarter type minted later.
Turban head gold $2.50 quarter eagle |
|||||||
| Year | Quality | Mintage | |||||
| Fine | Very fine | Extra fine | AU | MS 60 | MS 65 | ||
| 1796 with stars | $38,217 | $52,508 | $77,496 | $105,838 | $214,139 | $1,193,345 | 432 |
| 1796 without stars | $46,470 | $70,778 | $97,559 | $127,701 | $264,259 | $1,970,997 | 963 |
| 1797 | $20,498 | $28,070 | $44,565 | $82,546 | $167,163 | / | 427 |
| 1798 | $9,025 | $11,460 | $17,073 | $33,250 | $77,497 | / | 1,094 |
| 1802 | $6,638 | $9,548 | $14,039 | $19,583 | $38,219 | / | 3,035 |
| 1804 with 14 stars | $5,813 | $9,978 | $15,626 | $19,583 | $38,219 | / | 3,327 |
| 1804 with 13 stars | $82,549 | $167,170 | $214,149 | 321,665 | / | / | |
| 1805 | $6,460 | $10,329 | $15,626 | $19,583 | $38,219 | / | 1,781 |
| 1806 6 over 5 (7 stars left and 6 right) | $13,354 | $16,748 | $21,999 | $44,567 | $106,966 | / | 480 |
| 1806 6 over 4 (8 stars left and 5 right | $6,460 | $10,329 | $15,626 | $19,583 | $38,219 | / | 1,136 |
| 1807 | $6,460 | $9,549 | $14,840 | $17,989 | $35,127 | / | 6,812 |
*by USA Coin Book
Capped bust (Turban head)
Engraver Robert Scot designed this gold coin, and its production started in 1796. Until 1807, less than 20,000 coins were minted in total. The first year, the US Mint issued a variety with no stars, but later coins contained them.
In 1808, John Reich redesigned a coin and replaced the turban with a more traditional cap. Unfortunately, this coin was minted only in 1808, with a mintage of 2,710 pieces.
Capped bust gold $2.50 quarter eagle* |
||||||
| Year | Quality | Mintage | ||||
| Very fine | Extra fine | AU | MS 60 | MS 63 | ||
| 1808 | $48,488 | $66,823 | $97,565 | $167,173 | $723,252 | 2,710 |
| 1821 | $9,980 | $14,867 | $17,287 | $35,132 | / | 6,448 |
| 1824 | $10,332 | $15,629 | $17,992 | $38,225 | / | 2,600 |
| 1825 | $9,028 | $14,043 | $17,077 | $35,132 | / | 4,434 |
| 1826 | $13,682 | $18,852 | $27,629 | $77,510 | / | 760 |
| 1827 | $10,332 | $14,358 | $19,587 | $38,225 | / | 2,800 |
| 1829 | $8,420 | $10,332 | $14,043 | $27,629 | / | 3,403 |
| 1830 | $8,420 | $10,332 | $14,043 | $27,629 | / | 4,540 |
| 1831 | $8,420 | $10,333 | $14,043 | $27,630 | / | 4,520 |
| 1832 | $8,420 | $10,333 | $14,043 | $27,630 | / | 4,400 |
| 1833 | $8,420 | $10,333 | $14,043 | $27,630 | / | 4,160 |
| 1834 | $16,752 | $22,004 | $33,258 | $82,564 | / | 4,000 |
*by USA Coin Book
The US Mint decided to reinstate the quarter eagle in 1821, but its diameter was reduced to 0.72835 inches (18.5 mm). In 1829, the quarter eagle became even smaller, with a diameter of 0.71654 (18.2 mm). That design version was in use until 1834.
Classic head
Second chief engraver William Kneass designed this coin with a girl wearing a ribbon that bound her curly hair. The curiosity was that there was no Latin saying E PLURIBUS UNUM on the coin reverse. It was produced from 1834 to 1839.
Classic head gold $2.50 quarter eagle* |
||||||
| Year | Quality | Mintage | ||||
| Very fine | Extra fine | AU | MS 60 | MS 65 | ||
| 1834 | $750 | $1,055 | $1,600 | $3,887 | $12,909 | 112,234 |
| 1835 | $750 | $1,055 | $1,600 | $3,887 | $13,350 | 131,402 |
| 1836 | $750 | $1,055 | $1,600 | $4,264 | $12,909 | 547,986 |
| 1837 | $780 | $1,395 | $2,330 | $6,453 | $17,985 | 45,080 |
| 1838 | $780 | $1,215 | $1,780 | $5,197 | $13,675 | 47,030 |
| 1838 C | $2,853 | $4,337 | $9,543 | $29,153 | $54,960 | 7,880 |
| 1839 | $812 | $1,532 | $2,571 | $8,411 | $30,740 | 18,140 |
| 1839 D | $2,853 | $4,752 | $9,543 | $33,250 | $55,807 | 13,674 |
| 1839 C | $2,626 | $3,729 | $5,676 | $30,740 | $57,970 | 4,808 |
| 1839 O | $1,165 | $1,780 | $2,853 | $10,324 | $30,740 | 17,781 |
*by USA Coin Book
Liberty head (Coronet head)
In 1940, the US Mint started the Coronet head gold coin production after Christian Gobrecht’s design. In 1848, only 1,389 coins got the punch-CAL (Coronet head), making them highly collectible nowadays. This variety was successfully produced until 1907, and it was the most famous piece in the whole series.
Coronet (Liberty) head gold $2.50 quarter eagle (the most collectible)* |
||||||
| Year | Quality | Mintage | ||||
| Very fine | Extra fine | AU | MS 60 | MS 63 | ||
| 1840 D | $3,887 | $9,543 | $13,674 | $35,126 | / | 3,532 |
| 1841 | $70,787 | $106,979 | $137,818 | 214,184 | / | 15 |
| 1841 D | $2,447 | $5,110 | $9,972 | $30,740 | $59,149 | 4,164 |
| 1842 D | $2,330 | $5,110 | $10,923 | $35,126 | / | 4,643 |
| 1848 CAL | $38,220 | $48,491 | $57,974 | $94,308 | $137,823 | 1,389 |
| 1852 D | $2,117 | $3,341 | $6,632 | $17,281 | $46,477 | 4,078 |
| 1853 D | $2,041 | $3,730 | $5,416 | $17,071 | $48,492 | 3,178 |
| 1854 D | $3,887 | $8,412 | $13,350 | $33,252 | $77,512 | 1,760 |
| 1854 S | $301,750 | $429,625 | $537,832 | / | / | 246 |
| 1855 D | $5,111 | $9,021 | $16,002 | $52,516 | / | 1,123 |
| 1855 C | $2,117 | $3,730 | $6,185 | $27,624 | $48,493 | 3,677 |
| 1856 D | $9,021 | $13,350 | $31,105 | $77,513 | / | 874 |
| 1859 D | $2,537 | $3,730 | $5,197 | $21,998 | $48,494 | 2,244 |
| 1864 | $8,412 | $16,745 | $30,744 | $59,156 | $87,775 | 2,784 |
| 1865 | $5,111 | $9,544 | $21,999 | $44,573 | $59,157 | 1,545 |
| 1875 | $5,111 | $8,413 | $13,676 | $30,746 | $44,575 | 420 |
| 1881 | $2,572 | $3,342 | $5,677 | $10,925 | $27,628 | 691 |
*by USA Coin Book
Indian head gold $2.50 quarter eagle
Sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt designed the fascinating Indian $2.5 Indian Gold quarter eagle coin minted from 1908 to 1929. The design without raised edges was unique but also criticized in those times.
Nowadays, collectors appreciate it as part of American coinage’s creative renaissance. You can see that this particular series includes numerous key dates, such as:
- 1911 D $2.5 gold Indian head with more expensive strong D and cheaper weak D type
- 1914 $2.5 gold Indian head
- All proof coins
2.5 Indian head quarter eagle gold dollar* |
|||||||
| Year | Quality | Mintage | |||||
| Very fine | Extra fine | AU | MS 60 | MS 63 | PR 63 | ||
| 1908 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,346 | $9,976 | 565,057 |
| 1909 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,918 | $10,927 | 441,899 |
| 1910 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,780 | $10,328 | 492,682 |
| 1911 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,215 | $9,976 | 704,191 |
| 1911 D | $3,224 | $3,888 | $5,199 | $9,023 | $20,503 | / | 55,680 |
| 1912 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,780 | $10,927 | 616,197 |
| 1913 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,305 | $9,976 | 722,165 |
| 1914 | $498 | $508 | $578 | $812 | $5,199 | $10,927 | 240,117 |
| 1914 D | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,877 | / | 448,000 |
| 1915 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $604 | $1,346 | $13,354 | 606,100 |
| 1925 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $552 | $812 | / | 578,000 |
| 1926 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $552 | $812 | / | 446,000 |
| 1927 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $552 | $812 | / | 388,000 |
| 1928 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $552 | $812 | / | 416,000 |
| 1929 | $471 | $498 | $508 | $552 | $812 | / | 532,000 |
*by USA Coin Book
These gold coins’ values tend to increase these days, so it is an excellent moment to consider them an investment.
The Most Expensive American 2.5 Dollar Gold Coins
All American $2.5 gold coins are highly collectible and an excellent investment. It is practically impossible to find a cheap piece, but some are insanely expensive.
The most valuable 2.5 dollar gold coins |
|||
| Type | Year | Grade | Value |
| Draped bust gold quarter eagle with no stars | 1796 | MS 65 | $1,725,000 |
| Capped bust gold quarter eagle | 1808 | MS 65 | $2,350,000 |
As you can guess, the rarest pieces in excellent condition are the most costly. Every collector dream about:
- 1796 Draped bust gold quarter eagle without stars
- 1808 Capped bust gold quarter eagle
Since both specimens are worth millions of dollars, only the wealthiest collectors can afford such a piece.
Summary
The US Mint produced $2.50 gold coins from 1796 to 1929, including errors, rarities, and many standard pieces. Most of these gold dollars spent years in circulation thanks to their smaller denomination.
Therefore, they typically show numerous signs of wear. As a result, every specimen will be worth some money, but those in the mint state will cost you a small fortune.
