The 1866 quarter eagle is a rarity in all grades as one might presume from a mintage of just 3,080 business strikes. An estimated 50-60 are known with most of these in the EF40 to AU50 range. This date becomes extremely hard to locate in AU55 to AU58 and it is very rare in Uncirculated with only three or four known. The finest is a PCGS MS65 which I sold into the best collection of Liberty Head quarter eagles ever assembled.

The obverse of this piece is very choice with light wear, nice color and the detail of an AU58. The reverse is less choice due to some marks as well as weakness of strike which is most evident at the lower right. Both sides are slightly reflective and lack the copper spotting seen on many 1866 quarter eagles.

Three PCGS AU55′s have sold at auction since October 2007 and the last brought $5,463 as Heritage 10/10: 4633. The highest price at auction for an AU55 is Heritage 3/07: 1741 at $6613.

The rarity of this date is overshadowed by the 1863-1865 quarter eagles but this is one of the two rarest post-Civil War quarter eagles along with the low mintage 1875.