1863-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle NGC MS-62+ CAC

The 1863-S Liberty Head $20 Double Eagle, minted at the San Francisco mint, is a remarkable piece from the Civil War era, a time when the California Gold Rush fueled significant coin production on the West Coast. Struck in 90% gold and 10% copper, this coin weighs 33.44 grams with a diameter of 34 mm, featuring James B. Longacre’s classic design: Liberty with a coronet on the obverse and a heraldic eagle on the reverse, with the "S" mintmark below the eagle. In near Choice Mint State-62 condition, your coin is a well-preserved example, likely displaying strong luster, sharp details in Liberty’s hair and the eagle’s feathers, and only minor abrasions or contact marks typical of the grade. During 1863, the San Francisco mint produced 966,570 double eagles, a substantial mintage due to the gold abundance, but surviving examples in MS-62 are scarce today, as NGC has certified 16 in this grade with a mere 9 finer. As this coin has further been examined and endorsed by CAC adds to the desirability and future promise of this coin. CAC has stickered 10 coins with 3 finer.

This coin reflects the economic landscape of the 1860s, as San Francisco was a bustling hub for trade and gold export during the Civil War, with double eagles circulating widely in commerce or held as bullion. Similar 1863-S $20 Liberty Head coins have been recovered from notable shipwrecks, such as the SS Republic, which sank in 1865 off the Georgia coast, and the SS Brother Jonathan, lost in 1865 off Crescent City, California, both carrying significant gold cargoes from San Francisco. These wrecks, excavated in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, have yielded well-preserved examples, often in comparable Mint State grades, providing numismatists with a direct link to the era’s maritime trade. Your 1863-S Double Eagle, with its near Choice MS-62 condition, stands as a tangible piece of history, capturing the resilience of a nation in turmoil and the enduring allure of California gold.