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1860-O $20 AU50 NGC. Variety 1....
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Sold on Aug 24, 2022 for:
$49,200.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Description
1860-O Liberty Double Eagle, AU50
Low-Mintage O-Mint Issue
Elusive Semikey
1860-O $20 AU50 NGC. Variety 1. The 1860-O Liberty double
eagle claims a minuscule mintage of just 6,600 pieces, making it an
elusive issue in all grades today. In his acclaimed series
reference Gold Coins of the New Orleans Mint 1839-1909, Doug
Winter reports:"The 1860-O is similar to the 1859-O in terms of its overall and high grade rarity. As with its counterpart, the 1860-O is a rare date in all grades and it has become next to impossible to find a choice, original example in just about any grade."
Unusually for such a small mintage, two die varieties are known for the issue. The two varieties share a common obverse, while the reverse dies are easily distinguished by the mintmark placement. This coin represents Variety 1, with the mintmark placed slightly right of center over the N in TWENTY and further from the tailfeathers than on Variety 2.
The elusive nature of the 1860-O was recognized at an early date, as illustrated by its early appearance in lot 2654 of the Sloan, Lenz, and Others Collections (Thomas Elder, 1/1936):
"$20. 1860. O. Mint. Fine. Excessively rare. We don't believe we have had it before. About 6,000 coined altogether. More rare than the 1855-O."
The lot realized $80, a substantial price at the time, when the Standard Catalogue of United States Coins listed most branch mint double eagles at $50. Collector interest in Southern gold has risen exponentially in recent years and auction prices realized have kept pace. Recent sales include the AU50 PCGS example in lot 4394 of the Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2018), that realized $52,800.
The coin offered here is an impressive AU50 example that shows minimal wear on the high points of the well-detailed design elements. Most interior detail remains intact on Liberty's hair and the eagle's feathers. The pleasing orange-gold surfaces are unusually free of large or distracting abrasions and original mint luster clings to sheltered areas around the devices. It may be several years before a comparable example becomes available. The discerning collector should bid accordingly. Census: 13 in 50, 36 finer (7/22).
From The John Franklin Donnelly Jr. Collection. (Registry values: N4719)
Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 269E, PCGS# 8930, Greysheet# 9897)
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 all of [The John Franklin Donnelly Jr. Collection ]
Auction Info
2022 August 22 - 28 US Coins Signature® Auction #1348 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
August, 2022
22nd-28th
Monday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 16
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 215
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.
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