1889-CC $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS XF40

1889-CC $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS XF40--$3,750.00

      When you purchase this 1889-CC $20 double eagle,  you will own a classic relic of the romantic past of our nation: the history of the Wild West; the history of the gold mines and mine owners; and the history of the men who worked the mines. Close your eyes for a minute and let yourself drift back in time. Saloon doors swing open and the smell of whiskey hangs in the air. Gambling tables are stacked with silver dollars and gold coins. Since this coin is circulated, you know that it was owned by someone of consequence. In today's money, an 1889 double eagle was worth over $700.

      The obverse of the $20 Double Eagle features a left-facing Liberty design influenced by Greco-Roman sculpture. A pearl-encrusted coronet inscribed with “Liberty” adorns her wavy hair, which flows down her neck. Thirteen stars that represent the original colonies/states surround her bust. The date is found below the image of Liberty. The reverse presents Longacre's exaggerated design, featuring a heraldic eagle, one that is quite different from eagles previously found upon our coinage. Dramatic rays emanate from the national bird, and a circle of 13 stars is found hovering over the eagle. Two contrived ribbons encircle the awkward creature, one of which the eagle holds firmly in its beak. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is split between the two ribbons. A federal shield is found on its breast and arrows and the ivy branch of peace are found, respectively, in its right and left talons. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY D. surround the bird at the coin's rim.