1861 $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC AU55 (CAC) - Civil War Era Gold!

Here's a great type coin from the first year of the Civil War. This specimen, with its attractive yellowish-gold coloration, would be an excellent addition to your collection. Gold specialist Doug Winter tells us, "I’d rank Civil War gold as one of the more popular ultra-specialties in American numismatics." NGC has awarded 1,004 pieces the very collectible grade of AU55, with 1,650 finer. In CAC, there are 106 in AU55 with 265 finer.

Winter writes, "The 1861 double eagle is a well-struck issue. Some coins have weakness in the hair but the detail is still considerably sharper than what is seen on the San Francisco issues of this era. The reverse is also well detailed with the only weakness occurring on the wing tips and the tail feathers." Considering eye-appeal, Winter writes, "There are more attractive 1861 double eagles known than any other non-shipwreck issue in the Type One series. Without much searching, the fussy collector should be able to find a choice, CAC-quality example. These typically bring around a 10% premium over an average quality example."

Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, created to provide refreshments to soldiers arriving in Philadelphia during the Civil War.