U.S. COIN REFERENCE · Draped Bust quarter eagle
Early quarter eagles: the 1796 stars and the recorded mintage
A production total from early records may not count the date shown on every die.
By SalarsNet · Reviewed October 5, 2026
The first two obverses
The 1796 quarter eagle appears without stars and with stars, followed by with-stars coins through 1807. Read the two-and-a-half-dollar denomination from a matching reference and measurements; similar gold portraits appear on several values. Photograph the star arrangement and the entire reverse.
Type references: PCGS Draped Bust $2.5 ↗
Dies can outlast the calendar
Early reported annual production is not always a secure date-on-coin total because dies could be retained. Keep that limitation with any mintage claim. Star arrangement, date placement, and reverse details contribute to a specialist die-pair attribution; one apparently extra numeral stroke is insufficient.
Type references: PCGS Draped Bust $2.5 ↗
Price the authenticated coin
Inspect hair, cap, eagle, fields, rims, and edge, recording cleaning or repair separately. Early gold requires reliable authentication and provenance. Compare the same date and confirmed variety with similar preservation; a rare with-stars/no-stars difference should not be inferred from a cropped obverse.
Type references: PCGS Draped Bust $2.5 ↗
Selected reviewed issue records
These catalog standards describe the named issue, not a measured specimen. The selected records below do not cover every date, mint, strike, or die variety. Reported production is labeled separately from established mintage. Unknown standards and mintage remain visible; survival estimates and certified populations are separate research questions.
No issue-level specification or mintage records are published for this category yet. Verify the exact date, mint, strike, metal, and subtype in its reference before using a numerical standard.
References and review
Reference reviewed October 5, 2026. Historical facts and catalog standards need to match the exact issue; price comparisons should be researched at the time of valuation.
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