Olevian Numismatic Rarities
1925-D Indian Head $2.50 Gold Piece NGC Certified MS63
Product Description
By the early twentieth century, the designs of U.S. gold coins were long overdue for a makeover. The Liberty Head design had been employed on all gold coins for nearly 60 years with little modification. President Theodore Roosevelt took a personal interest in redesigning the nation’s gold coins and commissioned famed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to create new patterns for the $10 and $20 gold pieces, which debuted in 1907 with much fanfare. The new $2.50 and $5 designs followed the next year.
These two coins are distinctly unusual because they are the only U.S. coins ever minted with incuse designs-- that is, the letters and images are depressed into an otherwise flat plane. All other coins have images and letters which are raised above the surface. This incuse concept originated from William Sturgis Bigelow, a close friend of Roosevelt who was impressed by the Egyptian reliefs in the Boston Museum of Fine arts. Never before used on modern coins, he and Roosevelt felt the concept had promise for that purpose.
Well-known sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt was commissioned to enact their vision. The chosen obverse design features a Native American warrior with a feathered war bonnet encircled by 13 stars, representing the original states. The reverse features an eagle perched upon fasces intertwined with an olive branch, symbolic of peace and preparedness. The $2.50 gold Indian proved to be a relatively short-lived series. It was coined from 1908 to 1915, and then again from 1925-1929, making it the last $2.50 gold piece in U.S. history. The 1925 Denver specimen offered here is an affordable mint-state example produced after the 10-year hiatus.
Product Details
- Measurements
4.5"L x 4.5"W x 1.5"H
- OriginUnited States
— $2.5 Indian Gold Quarter Eagle (1908-1929)
— Designer: Bela Lyon Pratt
— Weight: 4.18 grams
— Diameter: 18 mm
— Composition: 0.900 Gold & 0.100 Copper
— Net Gold Weight: 0.12095 oz Pure Gold
— Obverse Design: Indian With War Bonnet / 13 stars
— Obverse Inscription: LIBERTY / DATE
— Reverse Design: Perched Eagle / Fasces & Olive Branch
— Reverse Inscription: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / IN GOD WE TRUST / E PLURIBUS UNUM / 2 ½ DOLLARS
— Ships In Luxurious Matte Black Wood Box Lined In Velvet With A Certificate Of Authenticity
A Note About Coin Grading & Certification:
This is a certified coin and its quality and authenticity are guaranteed. The condition of a coin is officially graded on a 70-point scale according to standards set forth by the American Numismatic Association. Grades under 60 represent circulated grades, while grades from 60 through 70 represent uncirculated, or “mint-state” grades. Very few, if any, older coins are known to exist in perfect MS70 grade. Analogous to GIA certification for diamonds, independent expert certification services examine coins, certify authenticity, assign consensus grades, and encapsulate them in a sonically sealed, hard plastic holder with grade and unique serial number displayed. The two leading firms, Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), have become widely recognized for their objective grading practices and high industry standards. They continue to provide reliable consumer protection for rare coin collectors and investors and preserve the integrity of the rare coin industry. A third company, Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC), also provides secondary verification of previously certified coins. A green oval sticker is applied to those specimens CAC believes meet their strict standards of quality for the certified grade. The coin offered for sale in this listing has been certified by one or more of these leading services so you can be confident in its authenticity and stated condition.
Shipping Information
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Shipping AvailabilityCanada, United States
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Shipping PolicyDiscounted Shipping
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Discounted Shipping$15.00 first item / $15.00 each additional
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Ship In3-4 weeks ⓘ
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Return PolicyFinal sale, not eligible for return or cancellation
Size Chart
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