1849-D Liberty Head Quarter Eagle : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
Given the influx of massive amounts of placer gold from California, 1849 saw the introduction of two new coin denominations. Small, wafer thin, and certainly more portable than the silver dollar, the Gold Dollar was meant to circulate as an “everyman’s” coin. The other coin was much larger, double the value of the Liberty Head Eagle, the $10 gold coin from which Quarter Eagle and Half Eagle were denominated.

United States Mint Chief Engraver James Barton Longacre successfully introduced the Gold Dollar in 1849 but was stymied in his efforts to get the Liberty Head Double Eagle into production. As a result, the Mint was only able to produce one pattern striking in 1849, delaying the introduction of the $20 gold coin until 1850.

Of the four available gold coin denominations, the Dahlonega Mint in Georgia was sent dies to strike three: the Gold Dollar, the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle, and the Liberty Head Half Eagle.

The 1849-D Liberty Head Quarter Eagle mintage of 10,945 coins was the lowest of the three, and, by a small degree, it is rarer in Mint State than the 1849-D Liberty Head Half Eagle. Interestingly, the most fragile of the three coin types, the 1849-D Gold Dollar, is the most available Dahlonega issue of the denomination in Mint State. As many as 100 to 120 uncirculated examples are known.

This amount is slightly less than the total number of 1849-D Liberty Head Quarter Eagles known in all grades. This is a higher population than what was known when David W. Akers estimated a surviving population of 51 pieces in his reference United States Gold Coins, An Analysis of Auction Records, Volume I (1975).

Three die pairs were sent to Dahlonega to strike the coins, but only two varieties are known.

These are identified by the position of the date in relationship to the denticles. The scarcer of the two, identified by Doug Winter as Variety 12-N, features a low date where the left tip of the foot of the “1” touches the denticle. On the high date obverse (Variety 11-N), the date is better centered in the space below the bust.

As the reverse die was shared along both varieties, a feature common to most 1849-D Liberty Quarter Eagles is weak reverse denticulation.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS MS62 (3, 10/2024), NGC MS62 (4, 10/2024), and CAC MS60 (1:0 stickered:graded, 10/2024).

• PCGS MS62 #83837065: As NGC MS62 #1720150-005. “The Fenn Family Collection, Part III,” Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2017, Lot 5809 – $18,221.90. As PCGS MS62 #83837-65. Dell Loy Hansen. Imaged on PCGS CoinFacts. Thin scratch from 9 o’clock rim to chin. Diagonal deeper cut from rim to chin from below star 2.
• PCGS MS62 #12525226: As PCGS MS61 #21026477. Arthur Lamborn Collection; “The Fairfield Collection,” Bowers and Ruddy, October 1977, Lot 1518 – $1,350; Goliad Corporation (Mike Brownlee); “The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection,” Bowers and Merena, October 1999, Lot 423 – $16,100; Spectrum Numismatics; Doug Winter; Doug Winter sold in February 2000; Heritage Auctions, September 10, 2004, Lot 7408 – $15,985; “The Green Pond Collection,” Heritage Auctions,” September 18, 2005, Lot 1027; “The Charleston Collection,” American Numismatic Rarities, September 18, 2005, Lot 1111 – $16,100. As PCGS MS62 #12525226. Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2009, Lot 4010 – $23,000. Variety 11-M. High Date. Upgraded by 1 point. Small spot to the upper left of star 2. Tick on chin. Misshapen area on the right-side obverse rim. Possibly dipped at some point.
• NGC MS62 #302714-010: “The Renz Collection,” B. Max Mehl, March 1948, Lot 3581; “The Bareford Collection,” Stack’s, December 1978, Lot 97 – $3,800; The Dr. Arthur Montgomery Collection;  Hancock and Harwell;  “Auction ’84,” Stack’s, August 1984, Lot 1318 – $5,500; Georgia Collection; Hancock and Harwell; “The Leon Farmer Collection”; “The Duke’s Creek Collection,” Heritage Auctions, April 7, 2006, Lot 1506 – $24,150; Heritage Auctions, August 7, 2014, Lot 5626 – $18,800. DUKES CREEK on insert. Variety 12-M. Vertical patch of discoloration dominates the left obverse field. Similar patches of discoloration elsewhere. Two ticks on the back of the cheek. Denticles weak on the reverse from 3 o’clock to 11 o’clock. Discoloration below STATES OF.
• NGC MS62 #402605-003: (possibly) Heritage Auctions, September 2002, Lot 7980 – Passed; Heritage Auctions, December 24, 2002, Lot 17456 – $18,975; Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2007, Lot 3414 – $17,250. Tick on jaw. Horizontal scratch from star 4 to hair. Planchet void under star 8. On the reverse, deep scratch from D of denomination to the second A of AMERICA. The upper portion of the A is dented.
• NGC MS62: As Uncirculated. David W. Akers, May 1998 – $30,800.
• PCGS MS61 #29529696: Imaged on PCGS CoinFacts. Diagonal scratch from top tip of star 1 to neck. Obverse denticles weak from 8 o’clock to 11 o’clock. Reflective area to lower right of second A of AMERICA. Copper spot on denticles above CA.
• PCGS MS61 #32601310: As NGC MS61 #3413441-002. Heritage Auctions, October 19, 2012, Lot 5564 – $12,925. As PCGS MS61 #32601310. Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 4089 – $16,450. Variety 11-M. High Date. Vertical hit in the left obverse field to the left of nose.
• NGC MS61 #1582000-002: Heritage Auctions, February 6, 2009, Lot 2500 – $10,350. Diagonal cut under eye.
• PCGS MS60 CAC #6575080: Mid-American, August 1991, Lot 653; Hancock and Harwell, 1994; “The North Georgia Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 1999, Lot 7645 – $21,900; “The Mark Hurst Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2001, Lot 8086 – $13,800; Doug Winter to the Kansas Collection; “The John O. Sykes Collection,” Heritage Auctions, Lot 6052 – $14,400. North Georgia on insert. Thin scratch behind bun. Curved hairline scratch to the right of star 1. High Date.

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1849-D Liberty Head Quarter Eagle Coin Specifications

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