Few dates in U.S. coinage history are as desirable as 1875, as it was in that year that the Philadelphia Mint produced some of its rarest gold coins. The circulation strike 1875 gold dollar, quarter eagle, half eagle and eagle all have extremely low mintages, while the three-dollar gold piece of that year was not produced in this format. Proofs for all denominations of the year are universally rare, the mintage for each only 20 pieces. We believe that only 10 to 15 Proof 1875 quarter eagles are extant in all grades, a total which includes a few pieces that are impaired due to circulation or other factors. The number of unimpaired Proofs is likely fewer than 10 coins, while in Gem Proof-65 a coin would be among the three or four finest known.

Proof 1875 quarter eagles are easily distinguished from the associated 400 circulation strikes by the date placement. For the Proofs, the date is positioned high in the field with the digit 5 nearly touching Liberty's bust.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the August 2016 Anaheim ANA Auction, where it sold for $135,125.