Type 1 Double Eagles - Without Motto on Reverse
(1849-1866)
Longacre’s Liberty
Head Type 1 Double Eagle (1849-1866): James Barton Longacre
designed the pattern for the Twenty
Dollar Double Eagle in 1849. It was produced because
of the huge amount of gold that came into the Mint from
California. With the discovery of gold at Sutter’s
Mill in January 1848, the California Gold Rush began. It
led to an influx of miners and others into the area. The
vast quantity of gold produced led to a need for a standard
form of exchange. The Double
Eagle was the government’s response.
They also felt that the Double
Eagle would be useful for large commercial transactions
and that it would facilitate foreign trade.
Longacre’s design
for the Double Eagle shows a Liberty head
facing left wearing coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Her hair
is tightly tied in the back with two loose curls hanging
down her neck to the end of the truncation. She is surrounded
by thirteen six pointed stars with the date below. Dentils
are near the edge on both sides of the coin. The reverse
shows a heraldic eagle with elaborate ribbons on both sides
of the shield extending from the top corner down to the
eagle’s tail feathers. The ribbons are inscribed,
on the left E PLURIBUS and UNUM on the right. The ribbons
were added to the design to symbolize the denomination since
this was the first Twenty
Dollar Double Eagle coin. There is an oval of thirteen
stars above the eagle’s head and an arc of rays from
wing tip to wing tip behind the upper half of the oval.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc above the eagle, and
the denomination TWENTY D. is below. The mint mark is between
the tail feathers and the N of TWENTY.
The Double
Eagles were minted in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and
San Francisco. In total there were 23,526,676 business strikes.
The largest mintage was in 1851 with 2,087,155, and the
lowest was 1856-O with 2,250 (not counting the single pattern
coin that was struck in 1849).
It is interesting to note
that until the discovery of the shipwrecked S.S. Central
America, 1850’s Double Eagles in gem condition were
virtually unavailable. The ship, originally called the S.S.
George Law, was a United States mail steamship. In 1857
it sank off the coast of the Carolinas because of a huge
hurricane. It was a three-mast, side-wheel steamship that
traveled between Panama and New York. The journey took approximately
21 days. In the five years prior to its sinking, it has
been estimated that the Central America carried about $150
million worth of gold or one-third of all of the gold mined
in California. The ship was 272 feet long and had 578 passengers
and crew on board. It also had on board over 35,000 pieces
of mail and gold bars, nuggets, dust, and 5200 newly minted
San Francisco gold coins. The loss of the Central America
triggered the “Panic of 1857,” which was actually
caused by bank instability and generally poor economic conditions.
In 1985, the Columbus-America
Discovery Group raised ten million dollars and began to
search for the wreck. They found it at a depth of 8,500
feet off the coast of South Carolina. It is estimated that
the total coins, ingots, and gold bars were worth more than
one hundred million dollars.
Now Mint the state 1857-S
Double Eagle as well as other dates from the Central
America are available today encapsulated and authenticated
by the two major grading services.
First
year for both regular issue and denomination; common
up to AU58; rare above MS62; the finest certified are
2 in MS65; 53 certified from the Republic. 23 were found
in the wreck of the Central America.1850
$20 Double Eagle NGC AU58 SS Republic
Usually
found in circulated grades with weak strikes; only 6
have are certified in Mint State, the finest of which
is a single MS62 example. 10 certified from the Republic.
1 was found in wreck of the Central America.
Usually
found in low circulated grades; rare above MS62; the
finest circulated are 4 in MS64. 49 certified from the
Republic. 33 were found in the wreck of the Central
America.
Usually
seen in VF to XF grades; rare in Mint State with only
28 certified, the finest of which is a single MS63 example.
14 certified from the Republic. 8 were found in the
wreck of the Central America.
Common in grades up to AU58; rare above MS62; the finest
certified is a single MS65 example. Also found with
an 1852/1852 overdate, the finest certified are 2 in
MS61. 93 certified from the Republic. 32 were found
in the wreck of the Central America.
Available
in grades up to AU58; rare in Mint State grades with
only 28 certified, the finest of which is a single MS65
example. 17 certified from the Republic. 4 were found
in the wreck of the Central America.
Common
in circulated grades up to AU58; rare above MS62; the
finest certified is a single MS65 example. 52 certified
from the Republic. 28 were found in the wreck of the
Central America. Look for the rare 1853/2 overdate.
Available
in VF to XF; rare in Mint State with only 3 certified
in Uncirculated condition, the finest of which is a
single MS63 example; usually found with weakness in
centers; sometimes with prooflike surfaces. 6 certified
from the Republic. 2 were found in the wreck of the
Central America. 1853-O
$20 Double Eagle PCGS AU53
Found
with Small and Large Dates. The Small Date is common
in grades up to AU58; only 32 have been certified Mint
State, the finest of which is a single MS65 example.
30 certified from the Republic. 20 were found in the
wreck of the Central America. Also found with an overdate
1854/1854. 15 overdates have been certified, the finest
of which is an MS61. Only 10 Large Dates have been certified
in Mint State, the finest of which are 2 in MS64. 3
certified from the Republic. 1854
$20 NGC AU55
Low
mintage coin; only about 37 or 38 are known today; most
examples are in VF or XF condition; the finest certified
are 4 in AU58. 1 certified from the Republic.
First
year of gold production at the San Francisco Mint; 200
to 300 found in the wreckage of the Yankee Blade; the
finest certified are 3 in MS65; 5 certified from the
Republic. 25 were found in the wreck of the Central
America, and 1 was certified. Also seen with Broken
A, Open A, and Closed A.
Common in low grades; rare in Mint State with only 33
examples certified, the finest of which are 2 in MS64.
17 certified from the Republic. 7 were found in the
wreck of the Central America.
Low mintage, rare in all grades; only 92 have been certified
in total for all conditions; the finest certified is
a single MS61 example. 3 certified from the Republic.
1855-O
$20 Double Eagle NGC AU53
Usually
found in VF or XF condition; the finest certified is
a single MSMS66 example; many pieces found in shipwrecks;
57 found on the Republic; 338 found on the wreck of
the Central America.
Available
in grades up to AU58; rare in Mint State; the finest
certified are 4 in MS63; 15 certified from the Republic.
6 were found in the wreck of the Central America.
Common
in grades up to AU58. 1,153 pieces found on the wreck
of the Central America; the finest certified are 2 in
MS66. 59 have been certified from the Republic.
Available
in grades up to AU58; the finest certified are 3 in
MS64. 20 have been certified from the Republic. 2 were
found in the wreck of the Central America.
Usually
found in VF to XF condition; rare in Mint State; sometimes
with prooflike surfaces; often with weak mintmark; only
6 have been certified Mint State, the finest of which
are 2 in MS63; 2 have been certified from the Republic.
1857-O
$20 NGC AU55, 1857-O
$20 Double Eagle NGC AU50
Common
in grades up to MS66; 5,402 found on the shipwreck Central
America; the finest certified are 11 in MS67; 8 different
varieties have been identified; 81 have been certified
from the Republic and 122 from the Central America.
This date is included in 100 Greatest U.S. Coins. 1857-S
$20 NGC AU58
Available
in VF to XF; only 6 have been certified in Mint State,
the finest of which is a single MS63 example. Also seen
with prooflike surfaces. 6 have been certified from
the Republic.
Most
are found in lower grades with heavy abrasion marks;
rare in Mint State with only 43 certified, the finest
of which are 2 in MS63. 59 have been certified from
the Republic.
Scarce
in all grades; usually seen VF to XF; only 10 certified
in Mint State grades, the finest of which are 2 in MS62.
1 has been certified from the Republic.
Low
mintage; rare in all grades; approximately 85 to 90
known; usually seen in VF to XF; only 2 are certified
Mint State, the finest of which is a single MSPL61 example.
3 have been certified from the Republic.
Available
in grades up to AU58; rare in Mint State; the finest
certified is a single MS63 example. Also seen with double
die obverse; 61 have been certified from the Republic,
1 from the Brother Jonathan.
Available
in grades up to MS62; rare in higher Mint State grades;
the finest certified are 2 in MS65. 82 have been certified
from the Republic. Approximately 9 proofs are known.
Available
in grades up to AU58; rare in Mint State; the finest
certified is a single MS64 example; 64 have been certified
from the Republic, 1 from the Brother Jonathan. 1860-S
$20 NGC AU58
Common
date in most grades; rare in MS64 and above; the finest
certified is a single MS67 example; 317 have been certified
from the Republic. Approximately 6 proofs are known.
Also seen with prooflike finish; only 3 examples are
known of the variety with a reverse designed by Anthony
Paquet; the finest certified is a single MS67 example.
Rare in all grades; struck by federal government, the
state of Louisiana, and the CSA; fewer than 200 coins
known in total; exceedingly rare in Mint State with
only 6 certified, the finest of which is a single MS61
example. 2 have been certified from the Republic. 1861-O
$20 Double Eagle PCGS XF45
Available
in grades up to AU58; rare in Mint State; the finest
certified are 2 in MS63; 85 have been certified from
the Republic, and 5 are from the Brother Jonathan. A
small proportion of this mintage bears a reverse designed
by Anthony Paquet. The finest certified are 11 in AU58.
1861-S
$20 PCGS MS62
Rare
in all grades; only 25 certified Mint State, the finest
of which is a single MS64 example; 7 have been certified
from the Republic. Approximately 11 proofs are known.
Usually
seen in VF to XF condition; rare in Mint State; the
finest certified are 6 in MS63; 118 have been certified
from the Republic. 17 have been certified from the Brother
Jonathan. 1862-S
$20 Double Eagle SS Republic NGC AU55
Scarce
in circulated grades; rare in Mint State; only 39 have
been certified Uncirculated, the finest of which is
a single MS64 example; 24 have been certified from the
Republic. Approximately 11 proofs are known. 1863
$20 Double Eagle NGC AU53, 1863
$20 Double Eagle NGC AU58
Available
in low grades; scarce in Mint State; the finest certified
are 4 in MS64. 1863-S $20 NGC MS61, 172 have been certified
from the Republic. 23 have been certified from the Brother
Jonathan. 1863-S
$20 NGC MS61, 1863-S
SS Republic $20 NGC MS61
Scarce
in all grades; rare in Mint State with only 51 certified
Uncirculated, the finest of which is a single MS65 example;
27 have been certified from the Republic. Approximately
13 proofs are known.
Available
in grades up to MS62; rare in higher Mint State grades;
the finest certified is a single MS65 example. 154 have
been certified from the Republic. 28 have been certified
from the Brother Jonathan.
Available
in grades up to MS65; usually seen with excellent luster;
the finest certified are 2 in MS66; 289 have been certified
from the Republic. Approximately 10 proofs are known.
Available
in grades up to MS65; the finest certified are 10 in
MS66; 239 have been certified from the Republic. 192
have been certified from the Brother Jonathan. 1865-S
$20 Brother Jonathan Shipwreck PCGS MS64
