The Indian Head $2.5 Gold coin is a quarter eagle that shares the same design as the Indian Head $5 Gold coin. With the completion of the eagle and double eagle, the mint focused on releasing half and quarter eagle designs. The original plan was to duplicate the double eagle design, but there was difficulty fitting the design on the smaller coins. As a result, mint engraver Bela Lyon Pratt came up with designs for the quarter eagle and half eagle.
The Indian Head $2.5 Gold Coins obverse depicts a native American Indian wearing a headdress. Thirteen stars lie on the edge of the “heads up” side of the coin, along with the year minted and the initials “BLP” for the designer. The reverse of the Indian Head $2.5 Gold coin stands a proud eagle atop of a bundle of arrows and a branch of olive.
The Indian Head $2.5 Gold Coin was minted from 1908-1915, and again from 1925-1929. It was minted in Denver and Philadelphia. There is no mint mark featured on the Philadelphia minted specimens and is a Denver mint mark is located on the reverse left hand side of the coin under the olive branch that the eagle is perched on.
Each Indian Head $2.5 Gold Coin was composed of 90% gold and 10% copper. In total each coin has .1209 troy ounces of melt gold. The coin has a diameter of 18mm and weighs 4.18 grams. Both a mint state and a proof version of the $2.5 Gold Indian were made.
There are many key dates in the Indian Head $2.5 Gold coin series. In particular, the proof versions are incredibly expensive, most ranging $5,000 plus in proof 60 or better condition. Some of the major key dates in the series are as follows:
-1911-D $2.5 Gold Indian (Strong D and Weak D. The strong D is more visible and worth more)
-1914 $2.5 Gold Indian
-All of the proof versions
Collectors often try to put together complete sets of PCGS $2.5 Indian Head Gold coins or NGC $2.5 Indian Head Gold coins. These sets will run tens of thousands of dollars in mint state condition and in proof condition can run hundreds of thousands of dollars.
$2.5 Indian Head Gold Coin Mintages and Values
| Date | Mintage | Good | Very Fine | Extremely Fine | Uncirculated | ||
| 1908 Indian Head Gold Coin | 564,821 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1909 Indian Head Gold Coin | 441,760 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $385.00 | ||
| 1910 Indian Head Gold Coin | 492,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $385.00 | ||
| 1911 Indian Head Gold Coin | 704,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $385.00 | ||
| 1911-D Indian Head Gold Coin | 55,600 | N/A | $2,750.00 | $3,500.00 | $7,750.00 | ||
| 1912 Indian Head Gold Coin | 616,000 | N/A | $325.00 | $350.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1913 Indian Head Gold Coin | 722,000 | N/A | $325.00 | $350.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1914 Indian Head Gold Coin | 240,000 | N/A | $350.00 | $375.00 | $550.00 | ||
| 1914-D Indian Head Gold Coin | 448,000 | N/A | $325.00 | $350.00 | $450.00 | ||
| 1915 Indian Head Gold Coin | 606,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1925-D Indian Head Gold Coin | 578,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1926 Indian Head Gold Coin | 446,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1927 Indian Head Gold Coin | 388,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1928 Indian Head Gold Coin | 416,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
| 1929 Indian Head Gold Coin | 532,000 | N/A | $300.00 | $325.00 | $400.00 | ||
*Source 2020 Red Book