1838-C Classic Head Quarter Eagle. HM-1, Winter-1, the only known dies. Rarity-4. AU-50 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ.

Eagerly sought, yet seldom offered CAC AU-50 quality for this key date Southern gold issue. The surfaces offer an uncommon degree of originality for the type with glints of rose-red and pale silver to deep, rich, honey-gold color. Appreciable frosty luster remains, as does generally sharp striking detail that comes up significantly short only along the eagle's left wing, where the most noticeable rub is concentrated. Free of troublesome marks and refreshingly smooth in hand, it is little wonder that this premium quality example ranks among the highest graded 1838-C quarter eagles verified by CAC. A delivery of 2,104 coins in July 1838 inaugurated quarter eagle coinage at the Charlotte Mint. An additional 5,776 pieces were struck later for a total reported mintage of 7,880 coins for the 1838-C, achieved using a single die pairing on which the C mintmark is boldly and widely repunched. Daryl J. Haynor provides an Estimate: of only 150 survivors in all grades in his excellent reference United States Classic Gold Coins of 1834-1839 (2020). Most 1838-C quarter eagles succumbed to heavy commercial use. The typical survivor is impaired due to cleaning or damage; CAC has stickered only 23 examples in all certified grades. The present example is one of the finest circulated examples that we have ever offered.

PCGS# 7697. NGC ID: E2MP.

CAC Stickered Population: 15 in all AU grades.

Estimate: $10000