With production beginning in 1838, the New Orleans Mint was crucial in supporting the economic growth of the southern United States. New Orleans was a leading economic hub of the nation in the early 19th century, rivaled by only New York City. Its location at the mouth of the Mississippi River ensured that the majority of trade from mid-western America would pass through its port. The gold coinage struck at the New Orleans Mint was important to the larger transactions associated with this trade and offered an alternative to the foreign gold coins that had earlier dominated commerce. Mintages began relatively small but grew considerably by the mid-1840s.
The 1843-O Small Date quarter eagle is a clear representative of this increased output, with a mintage of 288,002 pieces compared to just 19,800 quarter eagles struck in 1842. Though produced in a relatively large quantity, this issue remains elusive in grades approaching Mint State. While not as rare as the Large Date variety, gold coinage specialist Doug Winter calls the 1843-O Small Date "moderately scarce in properly graded AU-58." We are delighted to offer a lovely AU-58 (NGC) example in lot 12336 of our October 2018 Baltimore Auction, with lustrous surfaces and a sharp strike on each side. A green sticker of approval from CAC confirms this offers superior quality and is sure to draw the attention of both Liberty Head specialists and New Orleans enthusiasts.
This AU-58 (NGC) CAC 1843-O Small Date quarter eagle will be presented in lot 12336 of Session 13 in the Internet Only portion of our October 2018 Baltimore Auction. Bidding will begin for Session 13 on Wednesday, October 31st at 9:00am PT. The sale is available for viewing and bidding on our website www.StacksBowers.com, or you may contact our offices to secure a printed catalog. To speak with a numismatic representative, please call 800-458-4646 or email Info@StacksBowers.com. Also, download our mobile app to view and participate in our auctions via your Android or Apple device.
