1849 Quarter Error List with Pictures
One well-preserved 1849 quarter combines two small clues: faint lines around the reverse lettering and a circular gap in the shield. It brought $8,812.50 in May 2015.
This 1849 quarter error list explains both features, with estimated whole-coin ranges of $50–$12,000 across worn through high-grade examples. Finding both on one coin does not create two separate auction values.
Start with the eagle’s shield, then use the steps below to examine the surrounding lines.
1849 Liberty Seated Quarter Die Cracks
Raised lines can run through the lettering near the edge of an 1849 quarter. They formed when cracks opened in the die, the stamping tool, and silver entered openings during striking.
Heritage described faint beginnings of these reverse cracks on a Briggs 1-A quarter graded NGC MS65. That grade describes an unworn coin with relatively few marks.
The same example also has the Compass Point shield feature discussed below. Stronger crack patterns can develop as a tool continues to wear.
Lines reported below the date need the same raised-surface check, rather than being accepted as cracks by location alone.
Estimated Value
A genuine crack on an 1849 Philadelphia quarter fits an estimated whole-coin range of $50–$12,000 from worn examples through high-grade survivors. Most faint cracks add much less than the value of exceptional preservation.
The MS65 example with slight reverse cracks and a Compass Point shield sold for $8,812.50 in May 2015. That price includes both features and the coin’s overall quality.
It is not an $8,812.50 premium for a thin line.
How to Identify
Follow any suspected line around the reverse lettering with a magnifier. Note where it meets a letter and whether the raised ridge continues into the smooth background.
Change the light before deciding whether it is raised. A later scratch cuts into the coin, though displaced metal along a scratch can create misleading bright edges.
Compare the full route with a documented 1849 quarter, including its start, bends, and ending. Heritage’s MS65 example shows only early traces, so a bolder line requires its own matching comparison.
Inspect a line below the date in the same way. A continuous ridge matching a known tool crack is stronger evidence than a line seen only in one photograph.
1849 Liberty Seated Quarter Compass Point Shield Feature
A small circular gap interrupts the top of the leftmost vertical stripe on the eagle’s shield. This missing piece of design gives Briggs 1-A its Compass Point nickname.
The feature belongs to the way the design reached the working tool. It is not a piece of silver peeling away from the finished coin.
The traditional name connects the gap with a centering mark used in preparing the design. The visible shape and its position are more useful for identification than treating the name as a literal hole.
A similar-looking dent made after striking would disturb the surrounding silver instead.
Estimated Value
Heritage’s May 12, 2015 sale brought $8,812.50 for the NGC MS65 Briggs 1-A quarter. The catalog identifies the circular shield interruption and early reverse cracks on that same piece.
For worn through high-grade examples, estimate $75–$12,000 for the entire coin. Attractive original surfaces and limited wear account for much of the difference.
Do not add this range to the crack range when both features occur together.
How to Identify
Locate the eagle’s shield and follow its leftmost vertical stripe upward with a 10× magnifier. The relevant feature is a rounded interruption near the top, not a random pit elsewhere in the shield.
A clear photograph of a Briggs 1-A reverse makes the comparison easier. Match the gap’s shape and position within the stripe, then inspect nearby silver for scraping, a pushed-up edge, or a sharp impact.
Keep the entire shield in the photograph so its stripes provide a fixed reference. Normal wear can soften their tops, but it should not be mistaken for the specific circular interruption shown on the identified variety.
Conclusion
The estimated $50–$12,000 span reflects the condition of the whole 1849 quarter as well as its small features. A shield gap and raised cracks can share the same coin.
Look for the specific interrupted shield stripe and matching raised lines. Original surfaces make those details easier to judge, while a scratch or impact mark can imitate an interesting shape without creating the same variety.