PCGS MS64
PCGS MS63
- PCGS #:
- 7663
- Designer:
- Robert Scot
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 18.50 millimeters
- Weight:
- 4.37 grams
- Mintage:
- 2,600
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- 91.7% Gold, 8.3% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $50,600 • MS63 • 06-30-2005 • American Numismatic Rarities
Major Varieties
- 1824/1 $2.50
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 52 |
| 60 or Better | 15 |
| 65 or Better | 1 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-8.4 |
| 60 or Better | R-9.3 |
| 65 or Better | R-10.0 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 4 / 5 |
| 60 or Better | 2 / 5 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 5 |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 5 / 12 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 12 |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 12 TIE |
Condition Census What Is This?
#1 PCGS MS64
As NGC MS64+. “The Stellar Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, January 22, 2013, Lot 13288 – Passed. As PCGS MS64 #32231574. “The McCoy Family Collection of U.S. Early Gold Quarter Eagles,” Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2016, Lot 5537 – $91,062.50. As PCGS MS64 #33426402. Dell Loy Hansen; "The D.L. Hansen Early 2 1/2 Gold Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Thin horizontal scratch in the left obverse field between Stars 1 and 2 to the neck. Copper spot at forehead. |
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#1 PCGS MS64
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#3 PCGS MS63
As "Gem Brilliant Uncirculated." “Auction ’85,” RARCOA, July 1985, Lot 357 - $104,500; “A Gentleman’s Collection,” American Numismatic Rarities, June 2005, Lot 1005 – $50,600. As PCGS MS63 #31694529. “The D. Brent Pogue Family Collection, Part II,” Stack’s Bowers / Sotheby’s, September 2015, Lot 2049 – $70,500. Early die state. Deep yellow toning with darker toning on the devices. Lustrous. Die polish under bust truncation. Overdated visible. |
#3 PCGS MS62+
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#3 PCGS MS62
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#6 PCGS MS61
Jacob Shapiro; "The J.F. Bell (Shapiro) Collection," Stack's, December 1944, Lot 91 - $125; James A. Stack; Stack Estate. As PCGS MS61 #49647608. "The James A. Stack, Sr. Collection, Part II," Stack's Bowers, February 3, 2026, Lot 23005 - $40,800. Light green hue with coppery-gold toning on the devices. Semi-Prooflike surfaces. Light abrasians in the left obverse field. Thin scratch across Liberty's neck. |
#6 PCGS MS61
As PCGS MS61 #03802219. Heritage Auctions, May 10, 2007, Lot 2216 - $35,937.50; Stack’s, January 5, 2009, Lot 886 – Passed; Stack’s Bowers, August 2011, Lot 7602 – $35,000 Reserve Not Met; Stack’s Bowers, August 7, 2012, Lot 11654 – $41,125. As PCGS MS61 #45523497. GreatCollections, April 7, 2024, Lot 1299000 – $59,062.50; "The Golden Princesses Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Diagonal mark through R of LIBERTY. Radials weak on Star 5. Cluster of gouges behind Liberty's cap to the left of Star 11.
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#6 PCGS MS61
As PCGS MS61 #25055605. Heritage Auctions, July 11, 2013, Lot 3295 – $36,718.25; As PCGS MS61 #25202918. “The Basket PA Collection of United States Coins,” GreatCollections, August 8, 2021, Lot 1017419 – $36,562.50. |
The 1824/1 Capped Bust Quarter Eagle
The United States Mint introduced the Type 2, Small Cap, Large Diameter Capped Bust Quarter Eagle design in 1821, striking a robust (for the period) 6,448 coins. Demand for additional pieces did not materialize until 1824, at which time the Mint salvaged an 1821 die pair, reworking the final digit of the date from a "1" to a "4." This resulted in a distinct overdate; while the top serif of the underlying "1" is visible within the "4," the detail is far easier to appreciate under a loupe than through digital photography. In total, 2,600 examples of this date were struck.
Scarcity and Survival
One reason early United States gold coins remain resilient to the ebbs and flows of the rare coin market is their dual appeal: they are historically significant, and the demand for choice examples consistently outpaces supply.
The high attrition rate for issues of the 1820s was a direct consequence of the Mint Act of 1792, which failed to account for inevitable fluctuations in the relative value of silver and gold. By the 1820s and early 1830s, the legally mandated 15:1 silver-to-gold ratio was no longer aligned with market realities. Because gold was undervalued at the Mint compared to its global bullion price, most gold coinage was pulled from circulation and melted for profit.
Consequently, survival rates are incredibly low. Most extant examples are found in Mint State (MS) or About Uncirculated (AU) condition, as these high-grade survivors were likely preserved as keepsakes or plucked from circulation by chance. Of the Small Cap, Large Diameter Capped Bust Quarter Eagles, only the 1825 (#7664) is available in quantity, followed by the 1827 (#7666).
As for the 1824/1 (#7663), it is a scarce issue that is sometimes overlooked because the 1826/6 (#7665) is notably rare in Mint State. What separates the two issues, however, is a paltry few coins. Sometimes, that's all it takes.
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