1885 $20 MS61 NGC. CAC....

Description

Mint State 1885 Twenty Dollar
Sharply Struck, Low-Mintage Condition Rarity

1885 $20 MS61 NGC. CAC. The mintages of circulation-strike double eagles at the Philadelphia Mint plummeted in 1881 and would remain low for much of the decade, with only the 1888 issue exceeding a quarter-million pieces. In 1881 the business strikes totaled 2,199 coins, then 1882 saw a memorable low of 571 double eagles struck for circulation. The Mint skipped minting business-strike double eagles at all in 1883 and 1884, producing only proofs, and in 1885 only 751 circulation strikes were coined.
This was a time when the few wealthy and well-heeled collectors who could afford to work on complete sets of double eagles far preferred proof gold coins, and the double eagle proof production figures for the decade were consistently in the range of a few dozen pieces per year.
The low-mintage business strikes, on the other hand, mostly slipped unnoticed into circulation. For the 1885 double eagle, the average certified grade of survivors is about Choice AU. Mint State survivors are understandably few and far between: PCGS shows only seven submissions in Mint State, while NGC shows 13 submissions in Mint State.
The present MS61 NGC is one of seven submissions in this grade, and three in MS62 are finer (9/12). As always seen on this low-mintage issue, the fields show distinct prooflikeness on each side, while rich orange-gold color dominates throughout. The strike is sharp overall, but evidence of handling appears; the most obvious signs of contact are a couple of reeding marks on the cheek and chin of Liberty, and a longish scrape in the right obverse field.
From The Gnome at the Shore Collection.(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26BM, PCGS# 9003, Greysheet# 9821)

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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