1855-S $20 S Tilted Right S.S. Central America #2 (with Pinch) MS(PCGS#670689)

Spring 2022 U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

6392

Grade

MS61

Price

8,400

Lot Description

1855-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. S Tiled Right. S.S. Central America Label. With One Pinch of California Gold Dust. MS-61 (PCGS). A lustrous, softly frosted example with warm medium gold color blanketing both sides. Production of double eagles went into high gear at the San Francisco Mint in 1855 owing to the continuing influx of bullion from the region's gold fields. The 1855-S has a mintage more than six times that of the preceding freshman year, 1854, when the facility was getting started and gaining speed. Most of the 879,675 coins struck were used in commerce on the West Coast. High grade examples were once major rarities, but many of the 304 coins discovered as part of the S.S. Central Americatreasure have since been certified AU or Mint State by the major third party grading services. A smaller number of Uncirculated coins entered the market during the early 1970s from a shipwreck found off the coast of Florida but, unlike the S.S. Central Americapieces, those examples have noticeably granular surfaces from shallow immersion in seawater. Thanks primarily to the S.S. Central Americarecovery, the 1855-S is now regarded as one of the more readily obtainable Type I Liberty Head double eagles in grades above EF. The present example is housed in a special large size PCGS holder that also includes one pinch of California gold dust. The back of the PCGS insert features the signature of Bob Evans, chief scientist and historian of the S.S. Central Americatreasure. Under Evans' signature is the note: "I certify this coin and gold dust were recovered from the S.S. Central America." An exciting offering for the double eagle collector or shipwreck enthusiast. Provenance: Ex S.S. Central America. PCGS# 670689. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.