1866-S $20 No Motto AU58 NGC. CAC....

Description

1866-S No Motto Double Eagle, AU58
Natural Coloration, Rare at This Level
Green CAC Approval Sticker

1866-S $20 No Motto AU58 NGC. CAC. Small S. The motto "In God We Trust" first appeared on the double eagles of 1866. All twenty dollar gold pieces struck at the Philadelphia Mint and 85% of the coins struck at the San Francisco Mint that year were of the new Type Two, With Motto design. However, S-mint officials also coined a small production of No Motto twenties in February 1866, before the facility received word of the change. The recorded mintage for the 1866-S No Motto double eagle is 120,000 coins.

The trajectory of the 1866-S No Motto in terms of its popularity has evolved somewhat in recent years. After Doug Winter first described the date as "an unheralded but very scarce issue that is actually among the rarest Liberty Head double eagles of any type in higher grades," in the first edition of An Insider's Guide to Collecting Type I Double Eagles (2002), collectors began to take notice. More recently, in the latest edition of his reference (doubleeaglebook.com, 2014), Winter explains: "Today, it is recognized as one of the rarer Type One issues. It is in demand both among specialists and more general collectors who appreciate its status as a Transitional issue. In fact, it is the only regular issue Liberty Head double eagle which is a dual issue."

There are perhaps as many as 225 1866-S No Motto double eagles extant, usually found in XF through mid-AU grades. The population plummets in AU58, with nine submissions at NGC and four at PCGS. Only two of those have received CAC's approval. Probably three or four coins exist in Mint State.

This is an exceptional survivor, one of the few examples that maintains its original coloration. Rich red-gold surfaces glisten with soft luster around the device recesses. The stars, curls, and feathers are needle-sharp, even with traces of friction over the highest points. There are small abrasions throughout, but none are obtrusive. A tiny planchet flaw (as made) appears between D and S at the upper left reverse. Census: 9 in 58 (1 in 58+), 7 finer. CAC: 2 in 58, 2 finer (11/18).
From The Coco Collection. (Registry values: N4719)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 269W, PCGS# 8945, Greysheet# 9906)

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.

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