1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The 1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coins were struck at four different mints, Philadelphia, Charlotte (C), Dahlonega (D), and New Orleans (O). While all 1850 gold coins are rare by every measure, those struck at the Charlotte and Dahlonega mints are the rarest in terms of overall availability; these coins were not saved in substantial quantities to begin with, and most have been lost or melted.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the 1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin weighs 4.18 grams and has a diameter of 18 millimeters, meaning they are roughly the diameter of a standard U.S. dime. These gold quarter eagle coins contain a total of 0.1202 ounces of gold.

Grading the 1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

When a coin goes through the grading process, it is put through a series of steps in order to make sure that it receives the proper grade based on its condition. In addition, coins are verified for authenticity and their precious metals content. While the entire process is very subjective, an expert grader or team of experts makes the final determination on a coin’s grade. Obviously, the better the overall condition the coin is in, the more valuable it may be. You can get a good idea of how your coins may be graded by scrutinizing them for any imperfections, scratches or other damage.

Use the specifications below to determine how your Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin might be graded.

Uncirculated: Coins that are assigned a grade of uncirculated look to have never been touched by human hands. Despite their advancing age, these coins are in pristine condition as if they were just struck today. The coin will have no damage or wear to its text or imagery. The coin may, however, have a very slight difference in color or hue. You can closely examine your coins surfaces with a magnifying glass to look for any imperfections in the coin’s details or text. You can also see if there has been any wear and tear to the coin’s surfaces.

Extremely Fine: Coins given a grade of extremely fine are one step below a grade of uncirculated. Coins in this condition may have extremely minor wear and tear on their surfaces. In addition, some of the coin’s details such as imagery or text may appear worn or have scratches. Because the coin has likely exchanged hands many times over, the coin may also take on a smoother feel to the touch. Despite these minor imperfections, coins in this condition are still very attractive to collectors and remain quite beautiful to the eye.

Fine: A coin in fine condition has maintained all of its images and text, although it may have some signs of age. The coin’s finish may appear different and coin details such as text or pictures may be worn from use.

Good: Coins assigned a grade of good have some significant damage to the surfaces, details, edges or color. A magnifying glass may be needed to make out the coin’s images, text or other details. While these coins may appear slightly beat up, they may still be coveted by collectors depending on coin type, mintage and other factors.

Pricing the 1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

Determining how much you might be asked to pay for a Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin is really not that difficult at all. The first thing you must pay attention to is the condition of the coin. Collectors obsess over condition, so those coins that have been well-preserved are the same coins that will carry a hefty price tag. Finally, because multiple types of the Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin were produced annually, the exact type of coin you have will also play into the price you pay for it. The chart below is aimed at giving you a better understanding of what you might be asked to pay for an 1850 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin given its type and condition.

Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1850 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin	N/A	N/A	$380	$400
1850 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (C)	N/A	N/A	$2,500	$3,500
1850 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (D)	N/A	N/A	$2,750	$3,750
1850 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (O)	N/A	N/A	$575	$1,250
Source: Red Book