The 1870 is one of the real sleeper dates in all of the Liberty Head quarter eagle series. There were only 4,520 examples made for circulation and this date is not often seen above AU55. It is very rare in Uncirculated with an estimated five to seven known, the finest of which is a marvelous PCGS MS65. The current example is likely tied with another as the second finest known.

The obverse of this coin is most prooflike while the reverse is more frosty in texture. The strike is sharp and the color is a pleasing natural rose-gold and orange. There are some scuffs in the fields as one would expect from a coin graded as such with more located on the reverse than on the obverse. A few raised die lines in the right obverse field are mint-made.

The last MS62 example to sell at auction was an NGC coin offered as Heritage 1/08: 3895 which brought $6,900. No PCGS MS62 has ever sold at auction.

This is the best 1870 quarter eagle I’ve handled in year and it is a strong Condition Census example of a very undervalued issue.