1868 $20 MS(PCGS#8953)

June 2020 U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

1337

Grade

AU55+

Price

10,800

Lot Description

Low Mintage 1868 Double Eagle 1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-55+ (PCGS). Pretty rose-gold surfaces reveal brighter medium gold patina and intense satin to semi-prooflike luster as the coin dips into a light. Sharply struck. Only 98,575 circulation strike double eagles were coined at the Philadelphia Mint in 1868, one of the lowest production figures of the 1860s. This amounts to a face value of $1,971,500. Q. David Bowers in his 2004 Guide Book of Double Eagles estimated a surviving Mint State population of just four to seven different pieces. David W. Akers was able to account for just nine listings of Uncirculated examples in his 1982 survey of more than 400 major auction sales. Indeed, the 1868 is a formidable condition rarity and Mint State coins seldom appear at auction. As such, About Uncirculated examples such as this enjoy strong demand among quality conscious double eagle collectors. Such pieces are rare in their own right, especially with the aesthetically appealing surfaces offered here. Provenance: From the Fairmont Collection. PCGS Population: 1; 47 finer, only 16 of which are Mint State. PCGS# 8953. NGC ID: 26A3. Click here for certification details from PCGS.