1897 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Quarter Eagle Coin

1897 Liberty Head $2.50 quarter eagle gold coins are among the most widely collected pre-1933 U.S. gold coins in the market today. The United States Mint produced 29,768 of these coins, creating one of the largest single-year totals of this denomination in nearly two decades, save for the 1893 issue. Still, far fewer of these coins survive today, and with most having been melted during the 20th century, mainly after the nation abandoned the gold standard in 1933.

The value of an 1897 Liberty Head $2.50 gold quarter eagle that grades Very Fine-20 is $577 , while uncirculated specimens sell for about $500 and up. 1897 quarter eagles were made with a standard “coin gold” composition of 90 percent gold and 10 percent copper, and they weigh 4.18 grams, which means they boast a total gold content of 0.1202 ounces. These classic gold coins also measure 18 millimeters in diameter, which makes them a bit wider than a modern U.S. dime. Though they are small as compared to larger-denomination U.S. gold coinage, they are widely considered a bullion investor favorite, especially among those who enjoy pre-1933 U.S. gold coins.

1897 quarter eagle gold coins were designed by acclaimed engraver Christian Gobrecht, who had served as the U.S. Mint’s chief engraver during a part of the 1840s. Gobrecht gained his widest recognition as the designer of the Seated Liberty silver coinage of the mid- and late-19th century.