1851-O $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC AU58

With its mintage of 315,000, the 1851-O is the New Orleans double eagle with the highest mintage. However, it should not be considered a common date. It is scarce in comparison to the Philadelphia issue of the same year. Examples carrying the grades of VF and XF can be found relatively easily, but choice AU or finer coins are scarce to rare. NGC has graded 88 specimens as AU58 with just 22 finer.

Original sketch by James B. Longacre of his iconic Liberty head design. It was sold at auction via Heritage in August of 2022 for $28,800.00. Image courtesty of Heritage Auctions.

Gold specialist Doug Winter writes, "The strike seen on this issue is much sharper than on the 1850-O and it is among the best found on any double eagle from this mint. The obverse is usually well detailed with some of the hair strands showing individual definition. The stars are likely to show weakness on the radial lines, although a few are found with full or nearly full stars on the obverse. The reverse is generally well struck ...." Of the luster Winter tells us, "on the 1851-O [it] tends to be among the best seen on any Type One double eagle from New Orleans." Plus it gets high grades on eye appeal from Winter: "It is easier to find a nice 1851-O than any other double eagle from New Orleans. Many are well struck and have good luster."