PCGS AU58 1802 QUARTER EAGLE, ex Bass Foundation

BD-2, High R-5

Viewed as a type, the Capped Bust Right quarter eagles (1796-1807) tend to be considerably scarcer than their half eagle and eagle counterparts. Less than 20,000 quarter eagles of this type were made, with close to one-third of these dated 1807. This short-lived type remains among my very favorite US gold types and it isn’t often that I get to offer a nice Choice AU example.

Formerly designated as an 1802/1 overdate, this variety has been debunked leaving just the 1806/4 and 1806/5 as the only true overdated issues of this denomination until 1824. Viewed as date, there are likely around 150 coins known in total with perhaps as many as 15 or so that qualify as MS60 or finer by today’s standards.

This coin has nice rich orange-gold with some reddish tinges in the left obverse field. As is typical for this issue, the central obverse is flat and the reverse shows little definition on the eagle’s neck. There is a ton of soft, frosty luster on both sides. A few marks are noted on both sides, but the overall impression this coin makes is that it is a solid AU58.

From the 2025 FUN Sale where I paid $25,200; earlier sold by Heritage as Lot 9006 in their 2023 ANA sale at $26,400; ex Harry Bass Foundation, Harry Bass Collection, Pine Tree 9/1973: 411, Kosoff 5/1962: 56, Dr. J. Hewitt Judd Collection

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