Whitman Expo
The unprecedented crossover underscores his personal efforts to combat “grade inflation.”
Thank you to our sponsors!
Go check them out!
The Little Princess
The 1841 Liberty Head quarter eagle, or “Little Princess,” is a legendary rarity and rightly deserving of 100 Greatest U.S. Coins status. For decades it was thought that only Proof quarter eagles were produced in 1841. Circulated examples exist, but most researchers thought they were mishandled Proofs that entered had circulation. Recent in-depth research has led some to conclude that a portion of circulated examples are actually circulation-strike specimens. The matter is still being debated among experts of the series. Recently, a coin certified by PCGS as MS60 was sold auction in March, 2024 for $288,000.
The origins of the “Little Princess” label are unknown, but some have attributed the name to Abe Kosoff, a dealer who was active from the 1940s until the 1970s. Abe Kosoff was also one of the founders of the Professional Numismatists Guild.
The 1841 quarter eagle has an uncertain history: it was struck in Proof format, but the U.S. Mint did not begin to sell Proofs to the public until 1859, and prior to that, Proofs were struck for special circumstances only. Another curiosity is that no quarter eagle circulation strikes were produced in 1841 per Mint records (however, these are not always complete). Furthermore, the Philadelphia Mint struck quarter eagles for circulation every year from 1834 to 1862 (except for 1841).
Why the coin was struck remains uncertain. There may have been no demand for quarter eagles that year, and therefore the Mint struck only about 20 to 25 Proofs. One numismatist speculated that a group of foreign dignitaries visited Philadelphia in 1841 and the quarter eagles were presented as gifts. However, the fact that nearly every 1841 quarter eagle was discovered in the United States refutes that theory. Regardless of how they came into existence, the 1841 quarter eagles have had a storied past in numismatic circles. For many years, it was assumed that only a handful of specimens were known. In fact, one example sold privately for $3,000 in 1930. As more coins surfaced, the coin’s value decreased sharply, with one specimen selling for $605 at auction in 1940. Today, it is believed that 15 to 18 are known.
In recent years, the value of an 1841 “Little Princess” has soared. Circulated examples in About Uncirculated condition now fetch over $100,000. The finest we have seen was a PF-65 Ultra Cameo that brought $253,000 at auction in 2004. That coin traces its pedigree to the sale of the Adolph Menjou collection. The National Numismatic Collection of the Smithsonian contains two examples of the 1841 quarter eagle: a Gem coin from the original Mint Collection, and a circulated Proof coin that was part of the Lilly Collection.
Obverse Description
Christian Gobrecht's portrait of Liberty is surrounded by 13 stars with the date centered at the bottom.
Reverse Description
Heraldic eagle holding arrows and branch in its claws is centered in the design with the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA * @ 2 1/2 D. around the periphery. Mintmark (if any) is located under the eagle's claws.
Catalog Information
GSID:
8411
Designer:
Christian Gobrecht
Obverse Designer:
Christian Gobrecht
Obverse Lettering:
LIBERTY, 1841
Reverse Designer:
Christian Gobrecht
Reverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2 1/2 D.
Fineness:
0.9
Weight (gr):
4.18 gr
Weight (oz):
0.1344 oz
Precious Metal Weight:
0.121 oz
Strike Type:
Proof
Diameter:
18
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Reeded
Coin Date:
1841
Denomination:
$2 1/2
Designation:
PR
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
16 known
Coinage Type:
Gold Quarter Eagle
Coinage Years:
1839-1907
Composition:
90% gold; 10% silver & copper
PCGS #:
7867
Subscribe to View
View more data, info, and visualizations. Get access to retail and wholesale pricing as well as auction data.
Coin Value History
1841 $2 1/2 PR
Value By Grade
1841 $2 1/2 PR
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
Sort by
Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR65 |
|
$720,000 | $1,234 |
| PR65 | - | $600,000 | $1,234 |
| PR64 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR64 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR63 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR63 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR62 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR62 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR61 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR61 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR60 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| PR60 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
1841 $2 1/2 PR50 NGC. JD-1, High R.6. ...
$228,000
1841 $2 1/2 PR4 PCGS. CAC. JD-1, High R.6. ...
$52,800
1841 $2 1/2 PR55 NGC. ...
$156,000
1841 $2 1/2 PR53 PCGS. ...
$164,500
1841 $2 1/2 PR58 NGC. ...
$132,250
$92,000
1841 $2 1/2 PR50 NGC. Dubbed "The Little Princess" by Norman Stack in his firm's 1954 sale of the Davis-Graves Collection, ...
$103,500
1841 $2 1/2 PR55 NGC. ...
$149,500
1841 $2 1/2 PR53 PCGS. The existence and rarity of the proof-only 1841 quarter eagle was known almost since the day it was ...
$109,250
1841 $2 1/2 NGC Proof 50 ex: James Stack
$86,250
1841 $2 1/2 PR55 NGC. ...
$132,250
Liberty Gold Quarter Eagle $2 1/2 1840-1907 PR [Type]
Worth: $1,650 – $40,800
1840 $2 1/2 PR
1843 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $70,000 – $84,000
1844 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $150,000 – $180,000
1845 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $33,000 – $180,000
1846 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $33,000 – $180,000
1850 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $50,000 – $78,000
1854 $2 1/2 PR CAM
Worth: $480,000 – $480,000
1856 $2 1/2 PR CAM
1858 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $20,000 – $90,000
1859 $2 1/2 Old Reverse PR
Worth: $11,000 – $114,000
1859 $2 1/2 New Reverse PR
1860 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $10,000 – $42,000
1861 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $12,500 – $90,000
1862 $2 1/2 PR
Worth: $12,000 – $66,000
Greysheet News
Prominent Collector Dell Loy Hansen Submitting His Historical Collection Of U.S. Coins To CAC Grading
8/8/2024
American Numismatic Association's Largest Coin Show, August 6-10 In Chicago
Dazzling rarities, free educational opportunities, family fun and more await at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
7/25/2024
United States Mint Unveils Designs For The 2025 United States Marine Corps 250th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program
The designs will be featured on a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a half dollar clad coin.
7/23/2024
Events
GreatCollections Coin, Currency, World Money, and World Coins Auctions
Location: https://www.greatcollections.com/Auction-Archive
Sunday, May 3, 2026
GreatCollections Coin, Currency, World Money, and World Coins Auctions
Location: https://www.greatcollections.com/Auction-Archive
Sunday, May 10, 2026