1880-S $20 MS(PCGS#8993)

August 2018 ANA U.S. Coins Auction Philadelphia, PA

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1372

Grade

MS63

Price

13,200

Lot Description

Condition Rarity 1880-S Double Eagle 1880-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. MS-63 (PCGS). Beautiful rose-gold patina blends with billowy mint luster on both sides of this exceptionally well preserved 1880-S twenty. The strike is sharp, if not full over all design elements, and the appearance is attractively original and worthy of the strongest bids. 836,000 double eagles, equal to $16,720,000 in face value, were coined at the San Francisco Mint in 1880, eclipsing the Philadelphia Mint production figure by a wide margin. It is likely that large numbers immediately entered the channels of commerce, as gold coins were very popular on the West Coast for day-to-day transactions. Many others may have been kept on hand in Treasury vaults for the redemption of Gold Certificates. Q. David Bowers in his 2004 Guide Book of Double Eaglesestimated a population of 200 to 300, or perhaps even more Uncirculated examples. This estimate represents a vast increase in supply since the early 1980s, the result of repatriations from foreign bank hoards. The 1880-S is still rare in comparison to many other late date San Francisco Mint Liberty Head double eagles, however, especially at and above the grade level offered here. PCGS Population: 12: 5 finer (all MS-64). PCGS# 8993. NGC ID: 26BB. Click here for certification details from PCGS.