There may only be a single specimen in existence of the 1857 Proof Liberty Head Quarter Eagle. The coin shown here was specifically cited by Walter Breen who wrote that it is believed to have earlier been in the William H. Woodin Collection. The same writer stated: "One other rumored, unconfirmed; was it traded our of the Mint Cabinet?" It has since been confirmed that no coin was traded out of the Mint Cabinet and that the coin in question still resides in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institute. David Akers has said that "two or three or possibly four Proofs are known, but only one has sold at public auction since 1890, that being the specimen in the New Netherlands 48th Sale in 1956 — that being the piece offered here (referring to the Norweb Collection piece)." Since our description in the Norweb Collection, the coin has traded hands again, bringing $141,000.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the Norweb Collection, Part II, where it sold for $61,600.