1855-C Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. Winter-1, the only known dies. AU-50 (PCGS).Pretty honey-rose patina blankets both sides of this lustrous and suitably bold AU. The 1855-C boasts the lowest mintage of any date in the Charlotte Mint quarter eagle series. Only 3,677 examples were produced, survivors ranking behind only those of the 1843-C Small Date as the rarest C-mint two-and-a-halves in numismatic circles. Writing in the 2008 edition of his Charlotte Mint gold coin reference, only 85 to 105 examples of the 1855-C are extant in all grades. We suspect that the actual total might be a bit higher, but almost certainly not more than 200 or so coins. Finer than the typically encountered VF or EF survivor, the present example represents a significant find for the advanced Southern gold collector.From the Maurice Snow Collection. Acquired from Harry J. Forman, date not recorded. Earlier from Kreisberg & Cohens Windsor Collection sale, November 1981, lot 309.
