1857 25C PR64 Certification #33516059, PCGS #5553

Ron Guth

The 1857 Proof Quarter Dollar, like the 1856, has long been touted as a great rarity, with an estimated mintage of 30-40.  As with the 1856, the grading services have discovered that there are quite a few more 1857 Quarters in Proof than was previously thought.  To prove the point, we note that PCGS has certified 36 Proof 1857 Quarters, to which we must add the 43 examples certified by NGC, adding up to a total of 79 examples.  Even after deducting for resubmissions, it is clear that the "real" mintage of the 1857 Quarter Dollar is closer to 100 Proofs.

The 1857 Proof follows the grading distribution of the 1856, though there are more of the former.  PR63 and PR64 examples are the most plentiful, though all are quite scarce.  Outstanding examples include three PCGS PR65s, and a single PCGS PR65+.  NGC shows three PR66s.

Cameo examples are the exception rather than the rule.  Deep Cameo examples may not exist, as none have been graded by either PCGS or NGC.