Capped Head to Left Quarter Eagles 1821-1834

About This Series

Produced in remarkably small quantities for specialized commercial transactions, the Capped Head to Left quarter eagle series features John Reich's mature portrait of Liberty wearing a cap surrounded by stars. The Large Size type (1821-1827) was struck on broader planchets without a restraining collar, while the Reduced Size type (1829-1834) employed the close collar technology that Adam Eckfeldt introduced, producing coins with uniform diameter and sharp edge reeding. Several dates had mintages under 5,000 pieces — the 1826 saw only 760 struck, and the 1827 just 2,800 — making the entire series genuinely scarce by any measure. The 1826/5 overdate is a notable variety where the final digit was re-engraved over a 5, documenting the Mint's economical practice of modifying existing dies rather than cutting new ones. Struck in .9167 fine gold at 4.37 grams, these small 18.5mm coins carried significant purchasing power in an era when a quarter eagle could buy several days' labor. The Bass-Dannreuther reference provides the definitive die variety analysis, and the rarity of most dates ensures that assembling a complete collection requires patience, significant resources, and years of searching. This series bridges the gap between Reich's earlier Capped Bust designs and William Kneass's Classic Head redesign that followed in 1834.

Series Information