1926-D $20 MS64 PCGS....

Description

Conditionally Scarce Near-Gem 1926-D Double Eagle

1926-D $20 MS64 PCGS. Once considered a true rarity in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle series, the 1926-D has since been overshadowed by its famous immediate successor from the Denver Mint. Several examples of the '27-D have sold in recent years for seven-figure prices, including the Superb Morse coin that realized nearly 1.9 million dollars in a November 2005 Heritage auction. The 1926-D is no slouch, however. Bowers refers to this issue as a key date, in his A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, and notes that: "Most were probably retained in the United States and melted in the mid-1930s."
Of the known survivors from an original mintage of 481,000 business strikes, most are in Mint State. Very few of those have been seen at the MS64 grade level, however, with a mere 25 coins so-certified by NGC and PCGS together. At the current level of preservation, the '26-D is expensive, but not entirely beyond the reach of many collectors. At MS65 the issue is extremely rare, with five known, and just two pieces have achieved the MS66 designation Interestingly, all seven of the coins graded finer than MS64 are from PCGS (6/08).
This is a lovely near-Gem that exhibits intense, shimmering mint frost and subtly variegated gold, rose, and mint-green coloration over the two sides. A handful of minor field grazes and small, scattered abrasions keep this visually alluring piece from an even finer grade assessment. (Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26GE, PCGS# 9184, GSID# 10182)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 33.44 grams
AGW: 0.9675oz
Mintage: 481,000

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.

View Certification Details from PCGS