1861-S $20 Paquet MS (PCGS#8936)
The June 2010 Baltimore Auction
- 拍卖行
- Bowers & Merena
- 批号
- 3847
- 等级
- AU50
- 价格
- 471,207
- 详细说明
- 1861-S Liberty Double Eagle. A.C. Paquet Reverse. AU-50 (NGC). The rarest Type I Double Eagle struck in the San Francisco Mint, the 1861-S Paquet owes its ranking to both a limited mintage and heavy circulation on the frontier, aided by a lack of contemporary numismatic interest in these coins. A limited mintage of 19,250 pieces for this issue is attributed to the Mint's experimentation with a new reverse design for the Liberty Double Eagle. This new reverse was prepared by Assistant Engraver Anthony C. Paquet and features taller lettering in the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination TWENTY D. and a very narrow rim. It was the latter feature that spelled the doom of the Paquet reverse, as the narrow rim was deemed inadequate to protect that side of the coin in circulation.<br /> Before being shelved, however, the Paquet reverse was used to produce a small number (19,250 pieces, as previously stated) of 1861-S Double Eagles. Those coins were released into circulation on the West Coast before the San Francisco Mint received word from Philadelphia to return to the original reverse design of the Liberty Double Eagle. Overlooked by numismatists until the 1930s, most of the 1861-S Paquet Twenties have long since been lost to circulation. Survivors are very scarce-to-rare in all grades and probably number fewer than 125 coins.<br /> Lightly worn with pleasing honey-orange color, the present example has held up quite well despite seeing actual circulation. Overall definition remains bold on both sides, and scattered abrasions do not include any singularly mentionable distractions. Another important highlight in the Windermere Collection that is sure to excite the Double Eagle specialist.
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