1894 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. JD-1, the only known dies. Rarity-5-. Proof-66 Deep Cameo (PCGS). CAC.A simply exquisite Proof striking of the Liberty Head quarter eagle with surfaces that are fully Gem in quality and silky smooth in texture. Vivid golden-yellow color greets the viewer from both sides, the finish of which is uniformly cameoed with sharp field to device contrast. Razor sharp striking detail rounds out an impressive list of physical attributes for this lovely coin.<p>A mintage of 122 pieces for the 1894 represents a slight increase over the previous year in the total number of Proof quarter eagles struck. In keeping with the standards of this classic U.S. Mint gold series, of course, the Proof 1894 is a rare issue in an absolute sense with fewer than 100 coins believed extant in all grades. Estimates on the exact number of survivors are fairly tight between numismatic references, with Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth (2008) providing a figure of 50 to 70 coins, <em>PCGS CoinFacts</em> allowing for 60 to 80 pieces, and John W. Dannreuther (2018) estimating 60 to 70 known. A fair number of the survivors are impaired due to having been placed into circulation or otherwise mishandled by earlier generations of collectors, further reducing the number of high quality examples that would appeal to todays discerning numismatists. This is just such a coin, however, as both the technical quality and eye appeal establish it as one of the finest Proof 1894 quarter eagles ever to appear in one of our auction sales. Breathtakingly beautiful, and worthy of the strongest bid.PCGS# 97920. NGC ID: 288H.PCGS Population: 5; 6 finer in this category (Proof-67 Deep Cameo finest).
