1848 $2 1/2 CAL. MS63 PCGS....

Description

Select 1848 CAL Quarter Eagle
Popular Gold Rush Commemorative

1848 $2 1/2 CAL. MS63 PCGS. Only 1,389 CAL quarter eagles were minted in 1848, from the first shipment of gold to reach the Philadelphia Mint from the California gold fields. California had only recently been acquired by the United States, after the Mexican War of 1846, and the territory was still under the authority of a military governor. The shipment of 230 ounces of gold was sent by Col. R.B. Mason, the military governor, to Secretary of War William A. Marcy. Marcy delivered the bullion to the Mint, with instructions to coin the specially marked quarter eagles to commemorate the important historic events unfolding in the Far West.
The new issue was immediately popular with both numismatists and the general public. An example was featured in the Dr. Lewis Roper Collection (Moses Thomas, 2/1851), generally considered to be the first all coin auction held in the United States. Dr. Joel Orosz has discovered that Roper was actually a '49er himself. Perhaps the appearance of this important commemorative issue helped influence him to make the arduous journey to the gold fields.
Experts estimate fewer than 75 examples of the CAL quarter eagle survive today in all grades. Coins in Select Mint State condition are rare. Current population data reveals PCGS has certified only three coins in MS63, with 11 finer, while NGC has also graded three Select specimens, with 10 finer (6/10).
The present coin is a stunning Select example, with vivid orange-gold surfaces and reflective, prooflike fields. The striking details are sharp throughout and the eye appeal is extraordinary. The CAL quarter eagle is listed as one of the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins by Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth.(Registry values: P2)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 25HA, PCGS# 7749, GSID# 8270)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 4.18 grams
AGW: 0.12095oz
Mintage: 1,389

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

View Certification Details from PCGS