1913 $20 MS65+ PCGS....

Click the image to load the highest resolution version.

Sold on Jan 14, 2026 for:

$85,400.00 Bid Source: Internet bidder

Get one of these:

Share this lot

Track Item Printable Auction Results

Sell One of These

Description

Auction Info

Guides & Info

Description

1913 Double Eagle, MS65+
Scarce and Conditionally Challenging Date
Tied Finest at PCGS

1913 $20 MS65+ PCGS. Beautiful yellow-gold surfaces contain tinges of green and rose, with the latter particularly prominent on the central reverse. Strike is superlative, with the face and drapery fully sharp, along with the eagle's wings on the reverse. Only a hint of weakness is present on the leg and on the eagle's underside, although this is not enough to prevent differentiation of the feathers. The reverse is devoid of noticeable abrasions of any kind, and the obverse only contains a few errant shallow nicks left of the hair, right of the face, and left of the olive stem. This example is superlative, and any critiques of its exquisite appearance are minor enough to be inconsequential.

Double eagle mintages at the Philadelphia Mint were low in the 1910s, and the present 1913 was no exception, with just 168,780 minted. The scarcity of this issue is compounded by its outright rarity in high grade. According to Roger Burdette's 2018 book Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles as Illustrated by the Phillip H. Morse and Steven Duckor Collections, published by us, 5,200 out of the 5,700 surviving examples of this issue were repatriates. He adds:

"The remaining coins evidently rested peacefully in Central America (likely El Salvador) until they were returned to the United States in the 1960s or 1970s. This latter group included all of the high quality coins currently available."

While these discoveries removed this issue from the extremely rare category and made it available in the lower rungs of Mint State (the "high quality" Burdette was referring to), the 1913-dated hoards did not contain many Gems. This contrasts with other dates of the era, which similarly derive a substantial proportion of their surviving populations from repatriated examples, but these hoards contained Gem examples as well. This has been noted by experts such as David Akers, who remarked that:

"[A] 1913 Saint in MS65 is a definite rarity with perhaps only 14-18 examples known, making the 1913 a greater rarity in gem condition than the much more celebrated 1929, 1931 and 1932...I have neither seen nor heard of any 1913 that would grade superb MS66 or better although at least two or more such specimens exist of all the famous rarities of the series. There are only two other issues able to make this same claim, the 1915 and 1920."

Grading service data bears out this pattern. Certified populations from both services peak in MS62, with 1,416 and 1,146 examples from PCGS and NGC, respectively. From there, populations drop to 393 and 187 in MS64. In MS65, another precipitous drop occurs to 14 and 23 submissions, and again to 5 and 1 in the presently offered grade of MS65+. None have been certified finer at PCGS, with just one in 66 at NGC (11/25). Therefore, the opportunity to improve upon the present offering from a grade perspective is basically nonexistent.

The scarcity of Gem examples of this issue is exacerbated by the poor production quality of the average example of this issue. It is possible that few examples of this issue would have achieved Gem status even hot off the press. This makes the present piece an even more important and compelling offering, as it avoids both the conditional challenges of this issue and the poor production quality of most examples.(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26FN, PCGS# 9161, Greysheet# 10140)

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