1848 CAL Quarter Marks its 175th Anniversary! Anniversaries can evoke mixed emotions. It’s natural to feel joyous about being present for a milestone event, but at the same time, it serves as a reminder of the passing of time, which may imply that you are aging. Even if it’s the 175th anniversary, it’s still worth celebrating, so you can mark the occasion without hesitation. The 1848 quarter eagle is an example of such a case. The initial legislation that authorized the U.S. Mint and coinage incorporated gold.
Close Up Look of the 1848 Cal Quarter:
However, it had not provided the gold, silver, or copper required to produce those coins. In 1792, the primary source of gold was limited to the gold coins of other nations in the case of gold. There was no program called American Eagle. The Mint was pleased to purchase gold from the public rather than the opposite. For nearly 40 years, things remained unchanged until the discovery of gold in Georgia and North Carolina. Despite the availability of new gold supplies, the production of gold coins experienced a slight increase but remained at a low level.
This is evident in the production of the 1848 quarter eagle. Regularly, Philadelphia minted a total of 7,497 pieces. Meanwhile, the branch mints located in the gold fields, Charlotte and Dahlonega, produced 16,788 and 13,771 levels, respectively. Although the levels appear quite low today, they were not noteworthy for the period. Although the three 1848 quarter eagles fetch high prices, they are not considered particularly rare. However, there exists a rare 1848 quarter eagle. This is an 1848 quarter eagle that was minted in Philadelphia and has a countermark with the letters “CAL” punched into the reverse. With a reported mintage of 1,389 pieces, the 1848 CAL quarter eagle is considered one of the most significant coins in American history.
The CAL countermark was used because the coins were made from the initial 282 ounces of gold sent from California’s gold discoveries to the U.S. Secretary of War, William L. Marcy. Marcy utilized some of the initial gold from the California fields to produce medals for Generals Scott and Taylor.
He had converted the remaining amount into quarter eagles. Each coin was marked with the abbreviation “CAL” while resting in the die during the process. The reason behind Marcy’s actions is unknown. Although there were historical similarities to European issues, the U.S. Mint had never done it before. It is known that Marcy played a significant role in creating the first U.S. commemorative and also produced a highly valuable item. However, the significance of the gold in those coins was even greater.
The gold coins of the United States would undergo a significant and permanent transformation. The initial shipment contained only 282 ounces but was just the beginning of many more tonnes. In addition to the denominations stipulated in 1792, the Mint produced $1, $3, $4, and $20 gold coins from the bounty. In addition, it would generate a significantly larger quantity of gold coins than it had previously.
Just three years later, the Philadelphia Mint produced 1 million quarter eagles. In 1852, the number of quarter eagles exceeded 1 million once again. The discovery of gold in California has significantly impacted the types and quantities of coins produced in our numismatic history. The 1848 CAL quarter eagles are significant historical artifacts related to that discovery. It is worth noting that it is their anniversary year.
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