1865 $20 Twenty Dollar, Judd-454, Pollock-528, R.8, PR66 Red and Brown PCGS....

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1865 Double Eagle, Judd-454, PR66 Red and Brown
Extremely Rare Twenty Dollar Pattern in Copper
Finest of Only Two Examples Confirmed

1865 $20 Twenty Dollar, Judd-454, Pollock-528, R.8, PR66 Red and Brown PCGS. Ex: Simpson. The 1865 double eagle pattern in copper, Judd-454, is one of the rarest and most enigmatic issues in the U.S. pattern series. Judd-454 was struck from the same dies used for regular-issue double eagle coinage in 1865, the final year of the Civil War and the last year of the Type One design, without the motto IN GOD WE TRUST on the reverse. Early catalogers believed Judd-454 was a copper dies trial, but present day numismatists think it was deliberately struck for sale to favored collectors. USPatterns.com has confirmed the existence of only two examples today. PCGS and NGC have certified three examples between them (11/23), but the PR66 Red and Brown example in both the PCGS Population Report and the NGC Census is almost certainly the same coin, the specimen offered here. Heritage Auctions is privileged to present the finest-known example of this ultra-rare pattern issue in this important offering.

Examples of Judd-454 began appearing at auction as early as lot 524 of the A.S. Jenks Collection (Edward Cogan, 4/1877), but auction appearances have been few and far between over the years and we suspect some of the early citations may have been other pattern issues that were misattributed as the rare Judd-454 (see roster below for details). The only prior auction appearance we can identify for the present coin is in lot 1642 of the Dr. Conway Bolt Collection (Stack's, 4/1966):

"J.454. 1865 Double Eagle ($20.00). Regular dies trial piece. Copper. Reeded edge. Uncirculated, gem."

The lot realized $290, a robust price for the time. Unfortunately, there have been no public offerings of any Judd-454 for more than two decades, so meaningful price comparisons are nonexistant. This spectacular PR66 Red and Brown example is the finest-certified specimen of this elusive pattern issue by 41 grade points. The Registry Set enthusiasts among advanced pattern collectors will find no replacement for this delightful specimen once this lot has passed. The design elements exhibit razor-sharp definition throughout. The impeccably preserved original red surfaces have mellowed to attractive shades of olive, steel, and cerulean-blue in many areas. Overall eye appeal is terrific. This coin is pictured on PCGS CoinFacts. Population: 1 in 66 Red and Brown, 0 finer (11/23).

Roster of 1865 Twenty Dollar Copper Patterns, Judd-454
Thanks to Saul Teichman and USPatterns.com for much of the information in this roster.
1. PR66 Red and Brown PCGS. Dr. Conway Bolt Collection (Stack's, 4/1966), lot 1642, unknown intermediaries; Bob R. Simpson Collection. The present coin.
2. PR25 PCGS. Beverly Hilton Auction (Kagin's, 1/1975), lot 981; Everson and Faught Collections (Bowers and Merena, 6/1988), lot 285; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2001), lot 5689.

Earlier Appearances
A. A.S. Jenks Collection (Edward Cogan, 4/1877), lot 524.
B. Proof. Clarence E. Johnson Collection (H.P. Smith, 10/1883), lot 713.
C. Uncirculated. Possibly Lorin G. Parmelee Collection (New York Coin & Stamp, 6/1890), lot 143. Note: A priced and named catalog on the Newman Portal lists the buyer of this lot as Byron Reed, but there is no example of this issue in the Durham Museum. It is possible this coin was actually an example of Judd-453 and the cataloger simply did not mention the motto in the lot description.
D. Uncirculated. Matthew A. Stickney Collection (Henry Chapman, 6/1907), lot 527; J.C. Mitchelson; possibly King Farouk; The Palace Collections of Egypt (Sotheby's, 2/1954), lot 1792. The catalog descriptions mention a "slight defect to planchet on edge" and a "slight striking flaw", indicating these citations represent the same coin. This feature is not evident on either of the coins we can confirm today. Either this coin has been traveling outside of numismatic circles for the last 69 years, or it was actually a different pattern issue (possibly Judd-453) that was misdescribed in one, or both, of the earlier appearances.
E. An example exhibited by William H. Woodin at the 1914 ANS Exhibition; Waldo Newcomer.
F. Colonel James W. Curtis Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 2/1950), lot 1082.
Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part XI.

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 70641, Greysheet# 12741)

View all of [Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part XI ]

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