1855-O $20 AU58 NGC. Winter 1....

Description

1855-O Liberty Double Eagle, AU58
Underrated Southern Gold Issue
Third-Rarest O-Mint Twenty

1855-O $20 AU58 NGC. Winter 1. Sandwiched between the ultra-rare 1854-O and 1856-O issues and easily overlooked for that reason, the 1855-O double eagle is a rare coin in its own right, especially when approaching any Uncirculated grade. Noted gold authority Doug Winter states:

"I regard the 1855-O as the third rarest Liberty Head double eagle, eclipsing such better-known dates as the 1859-O, 1860-O, and the 1861-O ... Fewer than 20 properly graded AUs exist, and this date is very rare in the higher AU grades. I have only seen 1 or 2 with claims to Uncirculated."

The fact is, just about all New Orleans double eagles are better dates, but the 1855-O is significantly rarer than the earlier O-mint issues that constitute most auction appearances. The 1855-O has a mintage of only 8,000 pieces, and NGC has certified just 52 pieces in all grades, including only a half dozen pieces in AU58 (10/24) -- far less than one-tenth the certified population for the 1851-O, for comparison's sake.

The present green-gold example shows a hint of wear on the curls and wingtips, but luster surrounds the design elements, and abrasions are no more than anticipated for such a large gold coin that saw even minimal circulation. Areas of prooflikeness are seen, mostly on the reverse. Tiny marks that pepper the surfaces would diminish during a longer stay in circulation, yet here they indicate the coin's proximity to Mint State.

Less than a handful of 1855-O double eagles were found on the S.S. Republic and other early shipwrecks of that era. Those coins were etched by seawater, while the present example has all the signs of traveling the overland route, with original color and natural remaining luster and the inevitable tiny bagmarks. Sharp and attractive, this 1855-O is an important offering for the Southern gold specialist. Census: 6 in 58, 4 finer (10/24).(Registry values: N4719)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 268W, PCGS# 8915, Greysheet# 9853)

Weight: 33.44 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

View Certification Details from NGC