The 1906 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle is the second-to-last release in the Christian Gobrecht $2.50 gold coin series. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the U.S. coinage in an effort to reflect the nation’s rising prestige. Roosevelt tasked Saint-Gaudens with an ambitious goal: creating coins that would have the aesthetic of ancient Greek coinage, featuring high-relief portraits, while still being practical for mass production. Unfortunately, due to his declining health, Saint-Gaudens could only deliver two designs, neither of which could be minted without major adjustments.
To address this, artist Bela-Lyon Pratt was enlisted to redesign the half eagle and quarter eagle coins. Pratt’s new designs included a detailed, lifelike portrait of a Native American chief in an incuse (sunken) relief, and the reverse featured an adaptation of Saint-Gaudens’ iconic Standing Eagle.
These updated designs were not implemented immediately, and for the 1906 coinage, the Mint continued to use Gobrecht’s Liberty Head design, which had been the standard for the $2.50 denomination since 1840. The obverse features a left-facing Lady Liberty wearing a coronet, surrounded by 13 stars, representing the original 13 American colonies.
सम्बंधित ख़बरें
Market Insights and Notable Examples
The 1906 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle is regarded as a common date in the series, though it becomes rare in higher grades such as MS67+ or better. As of December 2024, PCGS and NGC have recorded just six coins graded at MS68. Of these, one has been approved by CAC.
Top Populations:
- PCGS MS68: 2 specimens
- NGC MS68: 4 specimens
- CAC MS68: 1 specimen
Noteworthy Auction Results:
- NGC MS68 #5748627-007: Sold for $12,014.10 at Heritage Auctions on August 3, 2020. It displayed purple toning along the lower part of the obverse.
- PCGS MS68 CAC #26418561: Part of “The Franklinton Collection,” sold for $18,400 at Stack’s on August 11, 2006, and for $23,000 at Heritage Auctions on May 10, 2007. This piece had a unique orange spot on Liberty’s crown and a diagonal scratch above her hair.
- PCGS MS68 #32601849: Crossed from NGC MS68, it fetched $14,950 at Heritage Auctions on March 18, 2011. The coin showed a small contact mark on the neck and light toning throughout.
- PCGS MS67+ CAC #25650192: Sold for $4,700 at Heritage Auctions on January 8, 2016, and was later sold for $5,640 in February 2024. This example had copper spots near Liberty’s neck and between stars 7 and 8.
- PCGS MS67+ CAC #35292497: Sold for $4,454 in September 2020 and later sold for $5,640 in February 2024, showing a small carbon spot near Liberty’s bust.
Coin Specifications:
- Country: United States of America
- Year of Issue: 1906
- Denomination: $2.50
- Mintmark: None (Philadelphia Mint)
- Mintage: 176,330
- Alloy: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Weight: 4.18 grams
- Diameter: 18.00 mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Obverse Designer: Christian Gobrecht
- Reverse Designer: Christian Gobrecht
- Quality: Business Strike