1853-O $20 MS(PCGS#8910)

Spring 2023 U.S. Coins Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

5274

Grade

AU55

Price

20,400

Lot Description

Exceptionally Well Preserved 1853-O Double Eagle 1853-O Liberty Head Double Eagle. Winter-1, the only known dies. AU-55 (PCGS). CAC. Offered is an important coin for advanced double eagle or New Orleans Mint enthusiasts, as relatively few 1853-O $20s survive from the mintage of 71,000 pieces, and very few grade finer than AU-50. This is a fully Choice About Uncirculated example with vivid, original surfaces that retain plenty of lively mint luster. The strike is impressively sharp throughout the design, with the surfaces displaying only the most trivial rub confirming a short stint in commerce. Virtually all known surviving 1853-O double eagles show some degree of circulation, and finding an example in such a high technical grade as AU-55 usually requires considerable patience and much persistence. Definitely a find, the present 1853-O is in a grade high enough to attract an advanced specialist, yet it is much less expensive than a Mint State coin would be, if indeed you could find a nice one. New Orleans Mint double eagles were important in the trade of their day - by steamboat up the Mississippi River connecting to inland cities and towns, and by sea to foreign countries. It is little wonder, then, that issues such as the 1853-O saw intense use, and suffered a high rate of attrition. Provenance: From the Fairmont Collection - CAG Set. PCGS Population: 34; 15 finer, two of which are Mint State (MS-63 finest). CAC Population: 6; 4. To view all items From the Fairmont Collection - CAG Set click here. PCGS# 8910. NGC ID: 268N. 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.