1909 Indian Head $2.50 Quarter Eagle

1909 Indian Head $2.50 quarter eagles are fairly common coins with a design made by Bela Lyon Pratt. When the Indian Head quarter eagle was first produced in 1908, it replaced Liberty Head quarter eagle, a coin that until the introduction of the Indian Head coin had been struck since 1840. Featuring a left-facing Indian on the obverse and a standing eagle on the reverse, the Indian Head quarter has a sunken design – one of only two U.S. coins minted so far to feature an incuse design. The only other coin like it is the Indian Head half eagle, also designed by Pratt, who was a student of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the designer of the eponymously named double eagle of the 20^th century.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values for 1909 Indian Head $2.50 quarter eagles:

• 1909, 441,780 minted; $513

• 1909 proof, 139; $5,000

*Values are for coins in a grade of Very Fine 20, unless otherwise noted.

The Indian Head quarter was initially met with a poor reception, and relatively few of these coins were saved in the better grades. As a result, there is a premium on all uncirculated 1909 Indian Head quarter eagles. You should be mindful when shopping for these coins that you only buy specimens from coin dealers who you trust. Your best bet is to buy certified examples of the uncirculated coins to ensure that what you are buying is truly mint state.