VERY RARE CONDITION CENSUS 1863-S QUARTER EAGLE, PCGS MS61

As one might expect, this issue saw heavy commercial use and was later melted extensively. This has left likely fewer than 75 remaining from an original mintage of 10,800. The 1863-S is one of the two rarest collectible SF quarter eagles (along with the 1862-S) and it is extremely rare in Uncirculated. I know ofjust three: a PCGS MS61 in a Nevada collection, the present coin and the incredible Eliasberg: 198 example, now in a PCGS 64+ holder.

This unquestionably “new” coin has full, frosty luster below a rich layer of golden color. It is well struck for the issue with nearly full leg feathers on the eagle and nice detail on Liberty’s curls. Most impressively, the surfaces are very clean and they lack the scuffs in the field seen on the other PCGS MS61 mentioned above.

The last APR for this date in PCGS MS61 (and the only one in over two decades) was Heritage 3/12: 3953 at $14,950. This coin sold cheaply due to artificial color and nasty black streaks on the obverse.

This impressive coin should appeal to both Civil War gold specialists and collectors of Liberty Head quarter eagles.