1858-O Liberty Seated Quarter. Briggs 1-A. MS-62 (NGC).One of only six Mint Sate specimens graded at NGC, making the present coin a true rarity. A brilliant, blast white specimen of the more sharply struck Briggs 1-A variety. One would think that a mintage of 520,000 pieces would be adequate to make high grade 1858-O pieces readily obtainable for collectors today. However, as some researchers theorize, the historic events of 1858 and beyond caused this issue to become the significant rarity that it is today. With the Civil War coming in three short years and money being tight, particularly in the occupied New Orleans during those challenging times, few could afford to save a quarter dollar, and the numbers known representing this issue today bear that out. Thus, currently demand far exceeds supply for Mint State pieces, and Liberty Seated quarter specialists will have to bid accordingly if they expect to capture this rare piece for their collections.
