1849-D $2.50 (Regular Strike)

David Akers (1975/88): Small date, as on the 1849 and 1849-C. Very scarce in high grade and I have seen only two or three specimens that could legitimately be called mint state. On most specimens, portions of the denticles are indistinct or missing.

Doug Winter: The 1849-D is one of the rarest of the Dahlonega quarter eagles from the 1840’s in high grade, eclipsed only by the very rare 1840-1842 trio.

The 1849-D quarter eagle is most often seen in Very Fine and Extremely Fine grades. It is very scarce in the lower About Uncirculated grades and it becomes quite rare in properly graded About Uncirculated-55 and About Uncirculated-58. In Mint State, this issue is extremely rare.

STRIKE: Beginning with this issue, the quality of strike for Dahlonega quarter eagles goes steadily downhill. The strike for the 1849-D is much better than many of the 1850’s issue, but it is not as good as the 1846-1848 date run. The obverse shows a better impression at the center than at the border. The hair and curls are well detailed although the curls near the eye are often weak. The stars are mostly sharp but the denticles are always very weak from 11:00 to 2:00. The reverse shows the same pattern of strike. The eagle is well detailed (except for the right leg and the arrow feather above the mintmark) while the denticles are very weak from 5:00 to 7:00. On some coins, the denticles at the left reverse become weak as well.

SURFACES: The 1849-D quarter eagle is almost always found with significant marks in the fields. These marks are frequently deep and obtrusive. Pieces are known which show mint-made roughness around the date and in the obverse fields. Many have been cleaned and show hairlines. This is a very difficult issue to locate with acceptable surfaces.

LUSTER: This date typically possesses inferior luster. Many are dull and have no luster at all. On some uncleaned, high grade 1849-D quarter eagles, the luster is very good with a rich, frosty texture. Such coins are the exception to the rule for this date and they tend to command a premium among specialists.

COLORATION: Original, uncleaned 1849-D quarter eagles have been seen with coloration ranging from orange-gold to dark coppery-gold. The coloration is often deep and intense. This is yet another date that has been ravaged by dipping and cleaning in recent years. Today, the only completely original examples that one is likely to find are from collections that have been off the market for many years.

EYE APPEAL: There are possibly as many as a dozen examples known which have very good eye appeal. The great majority are unappealing with no eye appeal.

DIE VARIETIES: Two die varieties are known.

Variety 11-M: High Date. On the obverse, the 1 in the date is close to the bust. The reverse is the same as described for 1847-D Variety 9-M.

This is the more common of the two varieties.

Variety 12-M: Low Date. On the obverse, the 1 in the date nearly touches the denticles. The reverse is the same as described for 1847-D Variety 9-M.

This is the rarer of the two varieties.