1826/6 $2.5 AU50 PCGS CAC

Breen-6130, BD-1, High R.5 . This remarkable 1826/6 Capped Bust Quarter Eagle is an expertly produced survivor, offering bold, razor-sharp striking detail from the borders through the central devices and standing apart as one of the most elusive issues in early U.S. gold. Attributed as Breen-6130, BD-1, High R.5, the issue carries an official mintage of just 760 pieces—the lowest of the entire quarter eagle series—and modern scholarship led by John Dannreuther supports its classification as a repunched 1826/6 rather than the traditionally cited 1826/5, with evidence suggesting that a portion of the quarter eagles delivered in 1827 may in fact bear the 1826 date. While approximately 2,800 quarter eagles are reported for 1827, making that date several times more available, auction records since 1993 highlight the disparity, with only seven examples of the 1826 issue appearing publicly compared to fourteen dated 1827. This AU50 PCGS CAC example, graded in 2000 and still reflecting the earlier 1826/5 attribution due to its old holder, is conservatively graded by modern standards and presents closer to the upper end of the About Uncirculated range. The surfaces are smooth, fully original, and unimpaired, displaying an even olive- to green-gold coloration with minimal wear confined to the highest points, while reflective fields contrast attractively with lightly frosted devices and subtle hints of rose toning add visual depth. Liberty’s hair retains strong definition for the type, the obverse stars show the customary softness, and the reverse eagle exhibits clear feather and wing detail, with faint clash marks visible under magnification. Of an estimated 32 survivors believed to exist across all grades, only 17 examples have been definitively traced, underscoring the extreme rarity of the issue, with the PCGS population standing at a single coin in this grade and CAC approval likewise limited to one here and just five in total. Last sold publicly in 2009 for $23,000 and absent from the market for more than a decade, this prooflike survivor represents a cornerstone rarity among the five-date Capped Bust Quarter Eagle series and is certain to command the attention of advanced gold type and date collectors, supported by a PCGS Price Guide value of $45,000 and a CAC Price Guide value of $50,500. Pedigree: $23,000 01/09 HA Ex: Heritage (01/2009), Heritage (1/2000) PCGS Cert Verification #4884269 • PCGS Price Guide - $45,000 • PCGS POP - 1/17 • CAC Price Guide - $50500 • CAC POP - 1/5 • PCGS Coin# - 7665