1828 25C 25/50C XF45 Certification #12392313, PCGS #5343

1828 25C 25 over 50C EF45 PCGS. B-3, R4. Population (PCGS 1/10, NGC 0/7). This is one of the most famous engraving errors in American numismatics. First introduced on the reverse die of the 1822 quarter this die was briefly resurrected, on the grounds of economy, and used once again in the striking of the 1828 Browning-3 variety shown here. Browning, in elaborating on the 25 over 50, wrote "...the engraver evidently mistook the die for that of a 50-cent piece, then corrected the error; ..." The die engraver used the denomination punches for a half dollar, and first engraved 50 C. instead of 25 C. Then realizing the mistake, he corrected this by engraving the correct 25 over the 50. This variety is always in very strong demand, and short supply as witnessed by the PCGS & NGC population reports, for the curious denomination error and one of the most popular of the early quarter die varieties. For the specialist, this coin represents a major achievement when added to a variety collection.

Ron Guth

This is one of the occasional "goofs" made by Mint engravers as they produced the large quantities of dies necessary to strike the nation's coins.  In this case, the engraver thought he was working on a half dollar die and punched a "5" and a "0" into the bottom of the reverse.  After catching his error, the engraver corrected the mistake by punching a "2" over the "5" and a "5" over the "0.'  The error in the die transferred over to the actual coins, where it can be seen even on low-grade examples.

This is a slightly scarcer, major variety, and it carries a premium because of the odd error.  The best example is the NGC MS67* that sold as part of the Eric Newman Collection for $352,500, setting a new record for the variety.