1853/2 Double Eagle ICG AU58 - 1853/2 $20 ICG AU58. This 1853/2 Double Eagle is wholesome and eye-appealing. Subdued mint luster is seen within the devices. The strike is strong with full details on the centers of the stars and the design elements of the reverse, especially the eagle. Despite a small planchet nick above Libertys head, the surfaces are clean for the grade and fully original as attested to by the yellow-gold and greenish-gold colors that are present on both sides. There is a small die bulge below the R of LIBERTY, which also identifies the variety.

The 1853/2 overdate is controversial because it is difficult to see; however, on the present specimen, there are remnants of a numeral under the 3 of the date, which is most noticeable at the bottom. Furthermore, the die bulge that is below the R in LIBERTY positively indicates the overdate variety.

James B. Longacre designed the double eagle. It 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 eagles 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 coin. There is an oval of thirteen stars above the eagles 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.

Longacre was born in Pennsylvania in 1794. When he finished his apprenticeship in Philadelphia as a bookseller and a banknote engraver, he worked on his own as an engraver of book illustrations and bank notes. His works included one on the signers of the Declaration of Independence and another on stage personalities. In 1830, Longacre began a series of biographies of famous men in the military and the political arena. In 1834 the result of this series became the National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans that was published in four volumes. Longacre and those who worked with him became famous because of this work. In 1844 Longacre came to work at the Mint. He was opposed by Franklin Peale, the Chief Coiner. Peale was probably responsible for some blundered dies that Longacre was criticized for making. Peal was involved in a private, illegal medal manufacturing business using Mint facilities. He was concerned that this new political appointee would interfere with his business, and he resisted Longacres appointment as Chief Engraver.

Finally in 1854, Peale was fired by President Franklin Pearce. Longacre flourished in his position and was responsible for creating many new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar, the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar gold piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle. 

In its population report, ICG shows 4 1853/2 double eagles at the AU58 level with none finer.