Pre-33 $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle
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Specifications
- Weight
- 0.121 oz
- Purity
- .9
- Mint
- US Mint
- Country
- United States
- First struck
- 1840
About the Pre-33 $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle
**Pre-33 $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle.** The smallest of the Liberty Head gold series, designed by Christian Gobrecht and produced from 1840 through 1907. The obverse shows Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY. The reverse carries a heraldic eagle with a shield, surrounded by the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination 2 1/2 D.
Each coin weighs 4.18 grams and contains 0.12094 troy oz of pure gold, alloyed with copper to .900 fineness. The diameter is just 18 mm, smaller than a modern dime. That tiny footprint is part of the appeal. You can stack a meaningful amount of pre-33 gold in a small space.
Mintage spans 67 years and four mints. Philadelphia (no mintmark), Charlotte (C), Dahlonega (D), New Orleans (O), and San Francisco (S) all struck Liberty quarter eagles at various points. Charlotte and Dahlonega coins are scarce and command serious numismatic premiums. Common-date Philadelphia and San Francisco pieces in circulated grades are the ones bullion stackers usually buy.
These were working money. Quarter eagles paid for hotel rooms, train tickets, and tailored suits in the late 1800s. Most surviving examples show real wear. That is not a flaw if you are buying for the gold content. A VF or XF common-date coin trades close to its melt-plus-premium and gives you the same 0.121 oz as a pristine example.
The series ended in 1907 when the U.S. Mint replaced the Liberty design with Bela Lyon Pratt's incuse Indian Head. Then in 1933, Executive Order 6102 pulled most circulating gold out of public hands. Coins that survived the recall and the melt pots are what you find on the dealer market today.
For a stacker, the Liberty quarter eagle is a way to own genuine pre-1933 U.S. gold without paying the premiums attached to half eagles, eagles, or double eagles. The premium per ounce is higher because the coin is smaller, but the entry price per coin is the lowest in the pre-33 U.S. gold lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the current premium on Pre-33 $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle?
The lowest premium right now is +48.1% over spot at Money Metals ($728.66). The table above ranks every dealer by premium so the best deal is at the top.
Which dealer has the cheapest Pre-33 $2.50 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle?
Money Metals currently has the lowest total price at $728.66. We compare every dealer on a freshness-filtered 24-hour window so rankings reflect live market prices.
How often do prices update?
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