1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin was minted in three minting facilities; Philadelphia, Charlotte (C), and San Francisco (S). Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the 1860 gold coin is a favorite collector item among numismatists who enjoy 19th century coins. Changes were made to the Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin in 1859 with the letters being brought down in size. However, some Philadelphia quarter eagles were made with the older reverse, which featured large lettering.

Of course, as is true of most coins as old as the Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin, the condition of the coin in question means everything to collectors. This is why you will see collectors paying top-dollar for those gold coins in excellent condition. In addition, many different types of Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coins were produced every year, so that also plays a role in determining how much you will pay for one of these coins.

Grading the 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

The coin grading process is very thorough and intense. The process is subjective; however, the final grade is determined by an expert coin grader or numismatist. These expert coin graders carefully examine each coin to assess the coin’s overall condition as well as authenticity. Like other types of coins, the better the overall condition, the more value the coin may bring. You can examine your own coin to get a good idea of its grade by carefully examining both the obverse and reverse and looking for any imperfections in the coin’s images, text, color or finish.

Use the specifications below to determine how your 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin may be graded.

Uncirculated: An uncirculated 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin shows no visible imperfections. Although these coins are well over 100 years old, a coin in uncirculated condition will appear as if it just came out of the mint ready for shipment. Uncirculated coins will have no visible imperfections or scratches on the imagery or wording, although they may take on a slightly different color or tone because of their age. You can use a magnifying glass to examine your coins and make a determination on the coin’s condition. The magnifying glass makes it easy to closely inspect the coin’s images, text and details, and you can see if some of the details have been rubbed away over the years.

Extremely Fine: Directly below uncirculated condition, an extremely fine Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin will show minor defects on the coin’s images or text. Some of the finer details of the coin may be slightly worn or damaged. In addition, the coin’s texture may feel worn and smoother overall. Despite this, coins in extremely fine condition are still considered to be in great overall condition.

Fine: A coin in fine condition has kept all of its details intact and the details are still easy to make out. There are, however, visible signs of wear and tear on the coin’s obverse and/or reverse. Coin details such as imagery or text may be worn down and the coin’s overall appearance may seem duller.

Good: A coin in good condition shows significant signs of wear and tear, and a magnifying glass may be required in order to determine the coin type, mint year and other details. While coins in good condition are far from mint grade, they may still be very popular with collectors and investors.

Pricing the 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin

If you are attempting to determine a price for the 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin, you must consider a few things first. For one, because multiple types of gold coins were produced annually, the scarcity associated with the specific type of coin will play into the price. Secondly, as is always the case, the condition of the coin will also play a major role in determining a price point. The chart below is aimed at giving you a better idea of what you can expect to pay for a 1860 Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Coin given its condition and type.

Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1860 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin	N/A	N/A	$2,100	$3,000
1860 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (C)	N/A	N/A	$2,500	$4,000
1860 Liberty Head $2.5 Gold Coin (S)	N/A	N/A	$675	$1,150
Source: Red Book