1921 $20 MS62 NGC....

Description

Pleasing 1921 Double Eagle, MS62
'Classic Rarity' in Mint State

1921 $20 MS62 NGC. The 1921 Saint-Gaudens double eagle boasts a mintage of 528,500 pieces, smaller than the typical mintage of the era but still substantial. The double eagle was the only gold coin denomination of the year, and most of the mintage was stored in banks and Treasury vaults to meet reserve requirements. The great Gold Recall of the 1930s, and subsequent extensive melting of U.S. gold coins hit the 1921 double eagle particularly hard. In A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, Q. David Bowers had this to say regarding availability of the 1921 twenties:

"The 1921 is a classic rarity in the series. Few specimens are known, and many of those are in circulated grades. True gems are exceedingly rare. While some have sneaked into the market in recent years, and offerings of the past decade are more numerous than in earlier times, no quantities of hundreds or more Mint State pieces have turned up, unlike the case for certain former rarities later in the decade. For the well-moneyed specialist the 1921 is one of the supreme challenges of the decade."

The rarity of the 1921 double eagle was not appreciated until about 1940, but once the true situation became known, the price for the issue quickly spiraled into the stratosphere. In the Belden Roach Collection (B. Max Mehl, 2/1944), lot 179, Mehl seriously compared the rarity of the 1921 issue to that of the 1933 double eagle. Of course, Mehl was writing just one month before the 1933 made its first abortive appearance in the Flanagan Sale (Stack's, 3/1944), lot 1681.
The present coin is an outstanding representative of this important date. The coin is well struck, with the slight softness usually seen on the obverse devices. The surfaces are attractive and lustrous, with a scattering of minor handling marks that define the grade. The only individually noticeable mark is a horizontal abrasion below Liberty's left (facing) arm. Census: 15 in 62, 8 finer (6/09).(Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26G2, PCGS# 9172, GSID# 10144)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 33.44 grams
AGW: 0.9675oz
Melt Value: $923.96
Gold Spot: $955/oz (07-31-2009)
Mintage: 528,500

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 NGC