1828 Proof

The 1828 proof Capped Bust Quarter marks the final year of the Type 1 large-size format before the denomination was redesigned in 1831 with a smaller diameter and modified reverse. Production took place at the Philadelphia Mint, the only United States Mint operating at the time, and proof striking remained an informal activity carried out only on special request. The Mint kept no official proof mintage records, and the small number of survivors trace back to a few notable 19th-century collectors and Mint insiders. Because 1828 closed the original large-format chapter of the series, these proofs carry transitional significance: they represent the last polished-die expression of John Reich's full-diameter quarter design before William Kneass and others reworked the denomination.

Specifications follow the Type 1 standard of 27 millimeters in diameter, 6.74 grams in weight, 89.24 percent silver and 10.76 percent copper, with a reeded edge. Authentication of an 1828 proof requires three principal checks. First, the fields must show genuine mirror reflectivity, with fine raised die-polish lines running in one consistent direction rather than swirling cleaning marks. Second, the design details must be fully struck: every star point sharply defined, each hair curl above Liberty's ear separated, and every eagle feather complete. Third, the rims must be squared and knife-thin, a quality that circulation strikes essentially never achieve. John Dannreuther catalogs this issue as JD-1 in his "Encyclopedia of United States Proof Coinage 1722-1989." Sheldon rarity is estimated R-7 to R-8, with roughly five to seven examples believed to survive.

Combined Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) populations report only a small handful of certified examples. Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers document the rare public sales, with offerings typically spaced years apart. For broader context, see the Capped Bust Quarter series history.