1861 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle
Although mint records indicate that 90 Proofs were struck, possibly no more than 15 or 20 were actually distributed. The rest were probably melted. Walter Breen specifically identified just five different examples in his time, and David Akers cited eight auction appearances (which may include duplications) at the time of his original work. Possibly, only a half dozen or so actually exist.
The example to the left was offered by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the William H. LaBelle, Sr. Collection, where it did not meet the reserve.