1922-S $20 MS65 PCGS....

Description

Wonderful Gem 1922-S Twenty

1922-S $20 MS65 PCGS. Like numerous other S-mint double eagle issues of the 1920s, the 1922-S "suffered tremendously from the massive meltings of gold coins in the 1930s", to quote Garrett and Guth. To a certain extent, however, the 1922-S was more fortunate than certain of its fellows, since it did turn up in hoard quantities, both in Europe and in the Western Hemisphere; of particular interest is a Central American holding alluded to by Walter Breen, though his projection of "7,000 pieces" is substantially greater than today's certified populations would suggest. The current combined certified figure of around 1,600 pieces, however, is less than one-tenth of one percent of the original mintage.
Compounding the challenge of the 1922-S twenty is its status as a condition rarity. As is common for heavily repatriated issues, the vast majority of Mint State survivors are in Select or lesser condition, with a noticeable gap between MS64 and MS65. At the Gem level, the 1922-S turns into a genuine condition rarity, with only 10 such pieces certified by PCGS and only two finer known to that service (6/08). In addition, the issue's popularity with series enthusiasts is such that high-end examples appear only infrequently at auction.
Rich butter-yellow surfaces show occasional elements of peach and ample satiny luster. The overall level of detail is impressive; particular praise should go to the reverse, which has excellent definition on all of the eagle's feathers. Occasional whispers of haze drape parts of the fields, suggestive of long-term storage outside the United States. Carefully preserved and attractive, a coin to remember.
Ex: The Philip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage (Heritage, 11/05), lot 6651.
From the Stephen Stokely Collection, Part Five.(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26G4, PCGS# 9174, GSID# 10176)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 33.44 grams
AGW: 0.9675oz
Mintage: 2,658,000

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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