The economic stresses and uncertainties of the Civil War resulted in widespread hoarding of all precious metal coinage and the government suspended specie payments in late 1861. These circumstances resulted a drastic reduction of coinage in 1862, and the Philadelphia Mint struck a modest business-strike mintage of only 92,133 double eagles that year. The coins were largely ignored by contemporary collectors and few were saved for numismatic purposes. Unlike some other dates of this period, only a handful of examples have been recovered from shipwreck finds in recent years. Today, the 1862 Liberty double eagle is one of the most elusive issues in the Type One series. The NGC population is 23 with 74 graded higher.
Listed at $18,000 in the CDN CPG and $17,500 (in XF) in the NGC price guide.
Along with its famed Denver Mint brethren, the 1927-S represents one of the first late-date melt rarities in the series. Branch mint double eagles from the 1920s tend to be elusive across the board (aside from the 1923-D), but the 1927 issues take it to the next level. The 1927-S was struck to the extent of 3.1 million coins, but that figure is entirely misleading when it comes to estimating the issue’s availability. According to the research of Dr. Charles W. Green in the late 1940s, only 3,750 pieces were officially dispersed from Treasury vaults. A small number made their way to Europe where they were preserved until being resold on the American market in the mid-20th century. The vast majority of coins that remained in the United States after the Gold Recall of 1933 were converted into gold bars. Probably no more than 250 pieces and possibly as few as 200 coins survive.
The NGC population is 39 with 45 graded higher.
Listed at $54,000 (in MS62) in the CDN CPG and $53,500 (in MS62+) in the NGC price guide.
Offered at $50,600
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The 1903 Liberty double eagle claims a nominal mintage of 287,270 pieces. Like other high-denomination gold issues of the time, the 1903 was primarily used in foreign trade or as currency reserves. Beginning after World War II, a number of coins surfaced in European and Central American holdings, increasing the supply of attractive specimens in today‘s market. The repatriated coins are often found in Mint State condition, but they usually exhibit some surface marks from rough storage and transport. At the MS66 grade level, the 1903 is a very rare issue. The NGC population is just 16 with none graded higher.
Offered at $20,850 Delivered
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This Philadelphia issue is a standout rarity within the latter part of the double eagle series, boasting the lowest mintage of any date from that point through 1907, when the Liberty Head motif was replaced with Saint-Gaudens’ design. Only 4,430 circulation strikes were manufactured, plus 93 proofs. Although the 1892 did not see much circulation and was likely subject to exportation overseas, examples are rarely seen in Uncirculated condition. The NGC population is 30 with 38 graded higher.
Listed at $19,200 in the CDN CPG and $18,500 in the NGC price guide.
Offered at $18,900 Delivered
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All 1891-CC twenty-dollar gold pieces feature the same obverse and reverse dies. The issue ranks as the third most challenging Carson City double eagle after the 1870-CC and 1871-CC. Its mintage of 5,000 coins is only 1,211 pieces higher than the virtually unobtainable first-year issue from the Nevada branch mint. However, the 1891-CC does enjoy a substantially higher survival rate of about 6% compared to 1.5% for the 1870-CC. Regardless, this late-date issue remains scarce in all grades and is particularly rare in Mint State. The vast majority of examples offered are in XF and AU grades. The PCGS population is 33 with 27 graded higher.
Listed at $60,000 in the PCGS price guide.
Offered at $52,750
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The New Orleans Mint struck a small mintage of 17,741 Liberty double eagles in the early part of 1861, on the brink of the Civil War. Noted gold specialist Doug Winter reports only 5,000 of those coins were struck before January 26, while the New Orleans Mint was still operating under federal authority. Another 9,750 examples were produced between January 26 and March 31, while the State of Louisiana was the governing authority. A final production of 2,991 specimens was achieved under the auspices of the Confederacy, before the Mint shut its doors on April 30. Although three obverse dies were sent to the New Orleans Mint, it seems all the coins were struck from the same die pair. Most of the coins show some weakness in the numerals of the date, toward the bottom. About one fifth of the surviving population features a strong date, with a die crack from the rim near star 2 to Liberty’s chin. Attempts have been made to determine which coins were struck first and which were produced by the Confederacy, but there is no general agreement at this time. Collecting double eagles was not popular in the 19th century, as the cost of assembling a collection of twenty dollar gold coins was prohibitive for most numismatists of the period. Little attention was paid to branch mint issues and the few wealthy collectors who did assemble date runs of large denomination gold coins usually preferred to order proof from the Philadelphia Mint to update their collection. As a result, few high-quality examples of the 1861-O were saved for numismatic purposes and no more than 150-175 specimens survive today in all grades. Most examples seen are in the XF40 to AU50 grade range. Winter notes, “Properly graded AU55 and AU58 coins are very rare, and I haven’t seen more than 3-5 with claims to an Uncirculated grade.”
In hand, this example looks far better than it shows in our images and it exhibits considerable luster and flash. The NGC population is 15 (one of which is designated “Star”) with 22 graded higher.
Listed at $72,000 in the CDN CPG and $75,000 in the NGC price guide.
Offered at $69,900 Delivered
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The 1852 date was a heavily minted (over 2 million produced), but like all Type One double eagles it is distinctly uncommon in Mint State and rare in Select Mint State. Type collectors usually focus on the 1851, 1852, 1853 and 1861 double eagles to find a suitable specimen. Gold specialists compete for these dates, searching out sharp examples with excellent eye appeal. The one offered here exhibits satiny surfaces and golden-tan color. The NGC population is only 8 with 1 graded higher.
Listed at $28,800 in the CDN CPG and $29,500 in the NGC price guide.
Offered at $28,000
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The 1927-S double eagle has a long history of being among the scarcest and most prized dates in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle series. No significant quantities were ever released to the Treasurer, and the vast majority of the more than 3 million-coin mintage was later melted. In Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles, Roger Burdette writes:
“After World War II, scarce-date coins began to surface in the bullion and numismatic holdings of European banks and individual. Several issues once thought to be very rare were located; some such as 1922-S and 1926-S in large quantities. A few 1927-S double eagles appeared, but not enough to have a significant impact on the coin’s relative scarcity.” Today, about 300 pieces are believed extant in all grades, most residing in the MS61 to MS63 grade range.
Listed at $38,400 in the CDN CPG and $39,500 in the NGC price guide.
Offered at $36,500
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The design of the double eagle was modified to include the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the reverse in 1866, initiating the popular Type Two design. The San Francisco Mint struck both Type One and Type Two twenties that year, but all double eagles produced at the Philadelphia Mint were of the new Motto design.
While the business-strike mintage was 698,745 pieces, few high-quality examples were saved by contemporary collectors. Only the wealthiest 19th century collectors could afford to set aside lengthy date runs of twenty-dollar gold coins, and the well-heeled numismatists who did collect double eagles preferred to update their collections by purchasing proof examples from the Mint every year. The coins were seldom seen in circulation, as they could only be purchased from banks and bullion brokers at a premium and the general public had become accustomed to the more convenient paper money during the Civil War years. Much of the 1866 mintage was exported and melted. Some more coins were sent to the Western United States where they circulated heavily in the hard-money economy of that region. By the time numismatic interest in the denomination became widespread in the late 1930s the coins had been circulating for decades, suffering much wear and attrition along the way. The 1866 Liberty double eagle is not difficult to locate in circulated grades today, but Mint State examples are decidedly elusive. Most Uncirculated examples are concentrated in the MS60-MS61 grade range and finer coins are rare. The one offered here is highly lustrous, with attractive color and excellent eye appeal. The PCGS population is only 11 with 2 graded higher.
Listed at $39,600 in the CDN CPG and $35,000 in the PCGS price guide.
Offered at $36,650
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The 1861 Liberty double eagle is one of the most popular type coins among No Motto issues. Prior to the discovery of the S.S. Central America and its hold of thousands of 1857-S and 1856-S double eagles, the 1861 was recognized as the most plentiful Type One issue in high grade. Nonetheless, near-Gem pieces such as this one, are conditionally scarce, and finer examples are rare. It exhibits vibrant luster, attractive color and a radiant cartwheel effect. The PCGS population is 13 with 8 graded higher.
Listed at $44,000 in the CDN CPG and $50,000 in the PCGS price guide.
Offered at $44,400
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