1863 $20 MS(PCGS#8939)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3378

Grade

MS60

Price

26,400

Lot Description

The quality of this highly elusive 1863 double eagle is phenomenal. A blend of vivid golden-apricot color and strong satin luster make this one of the most visually appealing examples at the MS-60 grade level that we have handled in recent memory. The strike is razor sharp and the surfaces are remarkably smooth for the assigned grade. Attractive in all regards, this coin represents a significant opportunity for advanced double eagle collectors.<p>While the 1863 was produced in somewhat greater numbers than the 1862, it still had a low mintage of just 142,790 circulation strikes. It is the third rarest Type I double eagle from the Philadelphia Mint, with only the 1853/'2' and 1862 more difficult to obtain in all grades. With so few examples included in repatriations from European banks, and none discovered as part of the S.S. <em>Brother Jonathan</em> treasure, the 1863 remains a formidable rarity in Mint State. Even the S.S. <em>Republic</em> treasure (the source of the offered coin) included fewer than 20 Uncirculated examples of this issue. This beautiful piece would serve as a highlight in the finest cabinet. <em><strong>The original S.S. Republic display case for the coin and outer slipcase box are included with this lot and available to the winning bidder upon request to Stack's Bowers Galleries after the close of the auction</strong></em>.