1852-O $20 MS(PCGS#8907)

December 2025 Showcase Auction - The James A. Stack, Sr. Collection Part I

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

20020

等级

MS62

价格

635,785

详细说明

A visually stunning piece that also ranks high in the Condition Census for the issue. Intense mint luster combines frosty and reflective qualities, the latter evident in the fields and recesses of the central design element. Vivid, bright golden-wheat color adds appeal, and there are hints of pale olive also discernible. Otherwise fully struck, minor softness at the peripheries is mentioned solely for accuracy. With no singularly distracting marks and outstanding eye appeal, this coin is far superior to what one would expect to see in a New Orleans Mint double eagle at the certified MS-62 level.<p>Even though the New Orleans Mint had produced double eagles in quantity in both 1850 and 1851, the coiners were still working out difficulties producing such a large gold coin with precision. Emphasis seemed to be more on quantity than quality, leaving many with uneven or weak strikes. In the end, 190,000 specimens came off the Mint's presses in 1852, which helped to make this one of the more readily available of all New Orleans double eagles. As with most gold coins produced in the Antebellum South, these coins entered circulation where they would remain. Numismatics in America was still in its infancy in the early 1850s and there was essentially no interest in mintmarks, which when combined with the denomination's high face value meant that few examples were intentionally saved. The Civil War disrupted monetary circulation patterns drastically, driving many into the export trade or otherwise out of domestic commerce. When double eagle holdings from overseas started to be repatriated in the 20th century, most bore evidence of their extended storage in large sacks, as well as of the years of commercial use in the mid to late 19th century.<p>It is estimated that only 400 to 600 1852-O double eagles can be accounted for today, most in the VF and EF range, with a very small number at the AU level or above. This comparative availability at the middle circulated grade levels has made the issue especially popular for type collectors seeking just a single New Orleans double eagle. This popularity, in turn, has resulted in quite a bit of competitive pressure for the few examples known at AU and above. This situation is even more pronounced at the Mint State level, where at best only two dozen Uncirculated examples of the issue may still be extant. This is one of the finest known to PCGS, a CC#2 rarity fit for inclusion in a world class double eagle or Southern gold cabinet.