1864-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS MS-61 SS Brother Jonathan #350

Previously featured in the Stacks Bowers Spring Rarities Night sale as lot #4357, this example was described as "...Gorgeous reddish-rose surfaces deliver outstanding eye appeal at the BU grade level. Both sides also offer satiny mint luster and overall sharp striking detail, and the in-hand appearance is impressively smooth. 

The San Francisco Mint produced 793,660 double eagles in 1864. These circulated extensively on the Pacific Coast and it is believed that many were exported overseas. The 1864-S once ranked as a foremost rarity in Mint State; indeed, David W. Akers listed just four auction appearances of Uncirculated examples in his 1982 tome on double eagles. Since that time, additional Mint State examples have entered the market. In 1999, as a consequence of the underwater excavation of the wreck of the S.S. Brother Jonathan, which sank in 1865, newly discovered Mint State examples were added to the roster of known specimens, followed by more from the S.S. Republic treasure. It is known that even more Mint State examples came from other sources and, presently, the Uncirculated population is estimated at 225 to 250 coins. This total is still small when compared to the strong demand that Mint State double eagles enjoy in today's market. The shipwreck find offered here is one of the finer examples of the issue that we brought to auction in recent years.\

Provenance: From the William B. Pordobel Collection. Earlier S.S. Brother Jonathan." It is entirely possible the consignor acquired this coin in 1999 as lot #353 and here it is for sale for the first time again since these tow past occasions. There were 28 uncirculated examples offered and only 12 of these were certified as MS61.