All coins struck in the United States before 1933 are extremely difficult to find today, but not for the reasons you think. The age of these coins should be enough on its own to make them rare, but the fight to wrestle the nation from the grip of the Great Depression had a bigger impact. For a limited time, the Pre-33 $2.50 Indian Gold Quarter Eagle is available from Silver.com.
Coin Highlights:
- Contains .1209 ounces of .900 fine gold.
- Issued a face value of $2.50 (USD) by the federal government.
- Available in Extremely Fine, or Extra Fine, condition.
- Designed by Bela Lyon Pratt.
With the Great Depression crippling America, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order to collect all gold coins in circulation to melt down into gold bars. Those few coins that survived the collection effort are now coveted for their inherent gold value, as well as their historical significance in American coining.
On the reverse face of each coin is the image of the bald eagle. In a unique depiction, the eagle is shown steadfastly standing atop its perch on a quiver of arrows, with an olive branch wrapped around the quiver. Multiple engravings accompany the eagle, including “United States of America,” “E Pluribus Unum,” and “In God We Trust.” The face value is inscribed as “2 ½ Dollars.”
The obverse face features the image of a Native American chieftain in full headdress. Its image is surrounded on the top by “Liberty,” by six stars on the left and seven on the right, as well as the year of minting below. The 13 stars are in honor of America’s original colonies.
Each coin in this product listing is available in Extremely Fine condition. Coins in XF condition feature light wear on the highest points of the coin’s surface. The major features of the coin remain sharp, even though minor features exhibit wear.
The United States Mint used a unique incuse-relief production style for these coins, which stamped the design set into the surface of the coin, rather than striking it to create a raised design. The $2.50 Indian Gold Quarter Eagle was struck by the Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint between 1908 and 1929.
Please direct all your questions to a Silver.com associate at 888-989-7223. You can also reach us through our live web chat and email. If you are interested in similar products, check out the Pre-1933 Gold Coins page on the Silver.com website.
