1914 $20 PR(PCGS#9211)

1914 $20 PR (PCGS#9211)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: This elegant and expertly preserved Superb Gem showcases the sandblast finish that the Mint used in production of Proof 1914 double eagles. The color is somewhat lighter than typically noted for the issue, however, and instead of deep honey-gold the viewer is treated to pale wheat-gold with a tinge of pink that is equally attractive. It is fully struck with nicely preserved surfaces and is a highlight of the extensive Proof gold coin offerings in this sale.By 1914 the failure of the Mint's Sandblast and Satin Proof gold series inaugurated in 1908 had become obvious. Yearly mintages were far in excess of demand as contemporary collectors never embraced these coins as they had the cameo and brilliant Proofs of the Liberty Head gold series. The penultimate issue in the Proof Saint-Gaudens double eagle series, 70 coins dated 1914 were produced, all of which were struck between September 28 and December 19. No more than two-thirds of these coins seem to have been distributed, the balance of the mintage destroyed through melting in the Mint. Estimates on the number of survivors range from a low of 25 to 33 Proofs (Q. David Bowers, A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, 2004) to 40 to 45 Proofs (PCGS CoinFacts). Such totals confirm the 1914 as one of the rarest Proofs of its type. The present specimen is far better preserved than most and, in NGC Proof-67, it ranks among the finest certified available to today's discerning gold collectors.