1857-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle, 20A variety PCGS MS66 (CAC) Ex.SS Central America

Spectacular survivor of the tragic SS Central America shipwreck

Here’s a rare beauty to add to your collection, one that will give you many years of endless pleasure. Please take a careful look at the photos provided and you will see what we mean. This is the 20A Spiked Shield variety of the 1857-S twenty.

PCGS has graded 136 of the Spiked Shield variety as MS66 with only 16 finer. Collector’s Universe prices this issue at $35,000.00 in MS66. In CAC, there are 77 in MS66 with 19 finer. CAC gives this issue a price of $33,500.00 in MS66.

James B. Longacre, who designed and engraved the beautiful Liberty Head double eagle. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Gold specialist Doug Winter writes of the 1857-S: "This is a well-struck issue. The hair detail on the obverse is sharp with many of the curls and the strands at the top of Liberty’s head showing individual definition. The stars usually have full radial lines and the denticles are sharp and clear. On the reverse ... the overall detail is excellent with detail not seen on most Type One issues from the San Francisco mint. The coins from the S.S. Central America are generally well-struck and show better overall detail than the coins which are not from this hoard."