1853/'2' $20 MS(PCGS#8909)

Spring 2023 U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

7097

Grade

AU55

Price

5,040

Lot Description

1853/'2' Liberty Head Double Eagle. FS-301. AU-55 (PCGS). A vivid and exceptionally attractive example of the eagerly sought 1853/'2' double eagle variety. Rich rose-orange color blankets both sides of this predominantly lustrous, satiny example. The devices are boldly to sharply defined and the diagnostic for the FS-301 attribution is readily evident within the lower loop of the digit 3 in the date. Although discovered as early as the 1950s, the 1853/'2' double eagle did not gain widespread popularity with specialized collectors until the 1980s. It is still underrated and actually ranks as the rarest Guide Book-listed Type I Liberty double eagle from the Philadelphia Mint if it is considered as distinct from the normal date 1853. While a few high grade pieces were retrieved with the treasures of the S.S. Republicand S.S. Central America, the 1853/'2' remains particularly elusive in AU and Mint State. Provenance: Ex Fairmont Collection. PCGS# 8909. NGC ID: 268M. Click here for certification details from PCGS.