Collection: Type 1, Large Cap (Capped Bust $2.5)
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1808 $2.50 Capped Bust “Large Cap” Quarter Eagle — One-Year Type Coin
The 1808 Capped Bust “Large Cap” Quarter Eagle is one of the most elusive U.S. gold type coins, representing a single-year issue and the only date of its ... Read More
1808 $2.50 Capped Bust “Large Cap” Quarter Eagle — One-Year Type Coin
The 1808 Capped Bust “Large Cap” Quarter Eagle is one of the most elusive U.S. gold type coins, representing a single-year issue and the only date of its design type. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in limited quantity, this historic quarter eagle is the direct result of Mint Director Robert Patterson’s order for a full redesign of U.S. coinage in the early 19th century.
Chief Engraver John Reich introduced a bold new interpretation of Liberty—her portrait now facing left, the word LIBERTY inscribed on a headband, and her “turban” replaced by an oversized freedman’s cap, a symbol of liberty and independence. The reverse displays a finely detailed heraldic eagle holding arrows and an olive branch, a classic motif that would define the design language of all U.S. gold coins from 1807 through 1907.
Only a small number of 1808 Large Cap Quarter Eagles were ever produced, and the design was discontinued after that single year. With its exceptional rarity, distinctive design, and place as a key type coin in the early gold series, the 1808 $2.50 Capped Bust Quarter Eagle remains a cornerstone of advanced numismatic collections.
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