Liberty Quarter Eagles
1848 $2 1/2 CAL. Quarter Eagle -- Improperly Cleaned -- NGC Details. XF. Other than war and financial panic/recession, no event in the history of the United States has inspired the socio-economic upheaval that the discovery of gold in California precipitated. In a roundabout way, the CAL. quarter eagles commemorate not just the importance of the discovery, but also the early recognition of how the fabric of life in the country might change, and the number of lives that would quickly unravel and need mending.
Military governor of California Colonel R. B. Mason was quick to realize the scope and significance of the gold find at Sutter's Mill. By sending 230 ounces of gold to to the War Office in Washington City in 1848, he provided tangible evidence and a detailed report of the dire effect that the rush for riches had already caused in California. The simple counterstamp applied to 1,389 quarter eagles confirmed national awareness of the stunning event and the powerful allure of gold. Perhaps as few as 75 CAL. quarter eagles survive from the small mintage. This bright example of Sutter's Mill gold shows signs of light cleaning with moderate wear and a few small marks.
HID02901242017