1843-O Large Date

New Orleans struck 364,002 quarter eagles in 1843, by a wide margin the largest annual output for the denomination at any branch mint that year, and split that production between two date-logotype varieties. The Large Date is the more elusive of the two, separated from its Small Date counterpart by taller, more openly spaced numerals that produce a date stretching noticeably further across the lower obverse. Both varieties pulled from the same working dies for everything else on the design, so attribution rests entirely on the four digits themselves. PCGS treats the Large Date as a Semi-Key within the date-and-mintmark series, with survivor counts well below the Small Date despite the shared umbrella mintage figure. Most known examples grade Very Fine through Extremely Fine, with About Uncirculated and lower Mint State pieces available at major sales but never plentiful in any given calendar quarter.

Date-size attribution begins with placing the four digits against the bust truncation and the rim above. The Large Date numerals stand visibly taller and the gaps between digits open up compared to the Small Date logotype; a side-by-side reference image resolves any ambiguity on a borderline coin. The O mintmark on the reverse warrants the same scrutiny applied to all branch-mint issues regardless of date. While New Orleans gold is less aggressively counterfeited than Charlotte or Dahlonega material, added-O alterations on common Philadelphia 1843 quarter eagles do exist in the marketplace, so the mintmark should show consistent oval geometry, sharp interior edges, no disturbed surrounding metal, and a font matching the standard New Orleans working die. Weight near 4.18 grams within standard tolerance and specific gravity around 17.2 confirm the 90 percent gold alloy and rule out base-metal cores.

The Large Date offers a meaningful step up in difficulty over the Small Date for collectors pursuing variety completeness within the New Orleans Coronet quarter eagle run, and it appears at auction often enough to acquire with patience. See the full Liberty Head Quarter Eagle series history.