1925-D $20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle PCGS MS63

This attractive offering from AUCM is a rare coin, despite this issue having an original mintage of 2,938,500 in 1925. Jeff Garrett reports, “Despite a very large mintage, most were destroyed during the great gold melts of the 1930s. At one time this issue was considered a major rarity. Starting in the 1950s, coins began to trickle in from European banks in small numbers. Today, around 1,000 coins are known; most in the lower ranges of Mint State. Gem examples are very rare .… The Smithsonian example (likely from the Lilly collection) grades just MS 63.”

The Denver Mint, where this offering from AUCM was produced  in 1925.

PCGS has graded 117 as MS63 with 137 finer. Collectors Universe prices this issue at $12,500.00 in MS63. Gold specialist David Akers writes of this issue, “The 1925-D is always well struck with fully frosty surfaces. The lustre is average to slightly above average for the series and the color on top grade specimens is invariably very good, usually a light medium orange or rose and greenish gold. Some specimens show slight evidence of die deterioration near the rims but generally the 1925-D was minted to a higher quality standard than the typical 1924-D.”