1860-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC XF45 Ex.SS Republic

David Akers writes, “The 1860-S is one of the rarest Double Eagles from the San Francisco Mint.”

Of the rare SS Republic hoard, NGC has graded 2 of the 1860-S as XF45 with 64 finer. The 1860-S double eagles circulated extensively in the Old West, leaving the majority of survivors in Extremely Fine condition. According to Doug Winter, there are less than 2,000 known in all grades. That is out of its original mintage of 544,950.

Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth, in their Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795-1933 (2008), report:

"This issue is very rare in Mint State. Only about two dozen Uncirculated coins are known, including examples found on the wrecks of the S.S. Brother Jonathan and S.S. Republic."

San Francisco Mint operations: "Running the gold into ingots" Illustration in: Hutchings' Illus. Calif. Magazine, v. 1, 1856 October. Image: Library of Congress.