1825/4/2 Capped Bust Quarter
The quarters of 1825 are exciting to study, rich with die states and full of particular interest to those who enjoy overdates. Three unused obverse dies made in 1822 were overdated to become 1824 obverse dies. Of those three, one was able to strike every quarter dollar ordered by the Mint’s depositors in 1824; the other two 1824/2 obverses were shelved. They remained in storage until 1825, when both were again overdated and put into use, creating the 1825/4/2 overdate that is found on both obverse 1 of 1825 (Browning-1) and obverse 2 (Browning-2 and Browning-3).
This variety was long called the 1825/3 variety, while the other 1825 obverse was called 1825/2. Recent study has resolved the question of what lies under the 5 digit with finality, ending decades of disagreements in terminology. According to Breen, this die was first called an “1825/4” by W. Elliot Woodward in July 1884.
The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the D. Brent Pogue Part I Auction, where it realized $52,875.