1909 $20 MS66 PCGS....

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Sold on Jan 12, 2023 for:

$132,000.00 Bid Source: Live: Phone bidder

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1909 Twenty Dollar, MS66
Among the Finest Known
A Significant Registry-Grade Rarity

1909 $20 MS66 PCGS. Ex: Simpson. The 1909 Saint-Gaudens double eagle is a lesser-known but worthy condition rarity in the series. The typical example seen grades MS61 to MS63, and the date is scarce at the MS64 level. In Gem and better grades, the 1909 double eagle is decidedly rare.

The moderate availability of the 1909 in the lower Mint State grades can be attributed to a hoard of a few hundred pieces that was discovered in the 1980s -- prior to that discovery, Uncirculated pieces in general were considered scarce to rare. The vast majority of the mintage (161,282 pieces) served a foreign trade purpose and escaped entry into numismatic channels for many decades. In Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles, Roger Burdette writes:

"Analysis of auction and authentication reports indicates that most 1909 double eagles were shipped to Europe and languished there in exchange transactions between various nations. Approximately 113,000 pieces shuttled between vault and counting table acquiring abrasions and dings as they went. A few thousand, possibly up to 14,000, found more benign storage in Central America where they were not subject to frequent handling. Small quantities were saved by collectors in Philadelphia and other eastern cities where the coins were available from the Mint or large banks."

This Premium Gem no doubt draws its origins from a contemporary collector who preserved it at the time of issue through a domestic channel. It is one of fewer than a dozen 1909 double eagles certified at the MS66 level, with none numerically finer. Boldly struck design elements complement satiny orange-gold luster, and eye appeal is excellent. Easily one of the finest obtainable examples. Population: 7 in 66 (2 in 66+), 0 finer (11/22).
Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part X. (Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26FB, PCGS# 9150, Greysheet# 10136)

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 all of [Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part X ]

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