The 1851-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle: 14,923 Struck at Charlotte, Scarce in Every Grade
On January 23, 2026, CoinWeek published a collector's guide to the 1851-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle, a $2.50 gold coin struck at the Charlotte Mint. The mintage was 14,923, and the article says the coin is scarce in every grade and rare in Mint State. It also lists notable certified examples and past auction results.
Correction (Oct 13, 2026): We rewrote the headline, summary and body to match the source. We removed unsupported material on the California Gold Rush, antebellum politics, a comparison with the Dahlonega Mint, and investment and wealth-preservation claims; corrected the denominations struck at Charlotte in 1851 from $2.50, $5 and $10 to the Gold Dollar, $2.50 and $5; and corrected the designer's name. The previous headline was "14,923 Pieces: Charlotte Mint's 1851-C Quarter Eagle Reveals Southern Gold Production Reality."
This article is based on a collector's guide by Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker published by CoinWeek on January 23, 2026. It describes a gold coin struck in 1851; it is not a report of a new event.
The Charlotte Mint in 1851
The Charlotte Mint struck three gold denominations in 1851: the Gold Dollar, the Liberty Head Quarter Eagle and the Liberty Head Half Eagle. Mintages were 41,267 Gold Dollars, 14,923 Quarter Eagles and 49,176 Half Eagles.
Three pairs of dies were sent to Charlotte for use in 1851, but only one was used. The "C" mintmark sits atop the eagle's claw on the reverse and nearly blends into the main design.
Survival and Grades
According to the article, the 1851-C Quarter Eagle is scarce in every grade. CAC, NGC and PCGS together report 244 grading events, ranging from Fine to Mint State 64. The typical certified example grades About Uncirculated.
The authors write that it is reasonable to assume most surviving pieces have already come to market. Even the large "Fairmont Collection," which Stack's Bowers has offered over the past several years, did not significantly increase the number of coins of this date.
In Mint State the issue is rare. PCGS reports seven grading events at MS62 and above, and NGC reports five. CAC has approved one of these. Only one coin has been certified MS64. The PCGS Mint State population has risen from seven to 10 since 2013.
Notable Examples and Auction Records
The article lists these examples:
- PCGS MS63 #30801334: Heritage Auctions, August 2, 2017, Lot 4090, $30,550. - PCGS MS63 #28168926: Stack's Bowers, November 6, 2013, Lot 2172, $28,200. It was tied for top population when sold. - NGC MS62 #3190854-001: Stack's Bowers, November 14, 2023, Lot 3132, $12,000. - PCGS MS62: sold for $13,800 in "The Grand Lake Collection" (Heritage Auctions, February 2009) and again for $13,800 in "The Cherokee County Collection" (Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2012).
The single PCGS MS64 coin is imaged at PCGS CoinFacts.
Specifications
The coin has a face value of $2.50 and is made of .900 gold and .100 copper. It weighs 4.18 g, measures 18.00 mm and has a reeded edge. Christian Gobrecht designed both the obverse and the reverse.
Source: CoinWeek, "1851-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle : A Collector's Guide" (January 23, 2026).
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