1873-CC $20 MS61 PCGS. Winter 1-A....

Description

1873-CC Liberty Double Eagle, MS61
Elusive Branch Mint Twenty
Rare Mint State Example

1873-CC $20 MS61 PCGS. Winter 1-A. Ex: Old West CC Collection. The 1873-CC Liberty double eagle claims a modest mintage of 22,410 pieces. The coins were all released into circulation at the time of issue and few high-quality examples were saved for numismatic purposes. Twenty dollars represented a lot of spending power in the 19th century and only a few wealthy collectors could afford to set aside long date runs of double eagles for their collections. In addition, most early collectors had little knowledge of, or interest in, branch mint issues. They were predominantly date collectors who were happy to acquire a single specimen from any U.S. mint to represent a particular date in their collections. Accordingly, most of the well-to-do collectors who could afford to systematically collect double eagles preferred to update their holdings by purchasing gold proof sets from the Philadelphia Mint every year, rather than searching for high-grade circulation strikes. Interest in branch mint issues only developed after Augustus Heaton published his treatise on Mintmarks in 1893, and collecting large denomination gold coins only became popular after the Gold Recall of 1933. By then, the 1873-CC Liberty double eagles had been circulating for decades, and almost all survivors show extensive wear and numerous surface marks.

In The Confidant Carson City Coin Collector, Carson City specialist Rusty Goe estimates about 375 to 500 examples of the 1873-CC double eagle survive in all grades, but Mint State examples are decidedly rare. Population data from the leading grading services has been inflated by resubmissions and crossovers, but Goe estimates only 15 to 20 examples survive in all Uncirculated grades. Probably no more than eight or nine MS61 specimens are extant. The finest-known examples is a single MS63 specimen at PCGS (11/25). Both PCGS and NGC show a single MS62 coin in their listings, but Goe believes the PCGS coin is a prior listing of the finest-known MS63 example. Similarly, he notes that the MS62 citation has been listed by NGC for many years, but no MS62 NGC coin has ever appeared at public auction and "there is no piece that has emerged that corroborates NGC's submission event." It is possible that MS61 represents the top grade available for this issue, outside of the single MS63 PCGS example.

The present coin is am impressive MS61 specimen, with well-detailed design elements and pleasing orange-gold surfaces that retain much of their original mint luster and are lightly marked for the grade. Overall eye appeal is quite strong. This coin will be a welcome addition to the finest collection or Registry Set. This coin is pictured on PCGS CoinFacts, in the fourth line of the Condition Census for the issue. Population: 8 in 61, 2 finer (11/25).(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26AJ, PCGS# 8968, Greysheet# 9917)

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 PCGS