San Francisco Gold $2-1/2 Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1854-1879)

The set of Quarter Eagles from the San Francisco Mint is dominated by the ultra-rare 1854-S, which on average appears about once a year and now to a low six-figure price. A low end AU sits atop the condition census, so the best one can realistically hope for would be a nice VF-XF quality piece. After that coin, there are a couple scarce dates in the early 1860s, but none even remotely close to the cost or rarity of the 1854-S. This set has seen light participation so far, so if you can live with a set that is just 95% complete, think about giving this one a try.