Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 36

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

$20 Liberty

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 3993		1850-O $20 Liberty. AU-50. Nice luster. A pleasing warm golden specimen with some underlying prooflike surface and light abrasions from its years in circulation. Nicely struck including all stars and devices at the centers. Estimated Value $5,500 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold
Lot 3994		1851 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62 PQ. Boldly struck. Quite lustrous with semi-reflective surfaces. The cheek and neck are remarkably free from marks. The 1851 double eagle posted a record high mintage to this point with 2,087,155 minted, the result of a vast influx of precious metal from California. Mint States are not rare, but examples that are this free from abrasions and edge nicks definitely are; the full, sharp impression this coin displays also makes it an important offering since the date is sometimes lightly impressed at the border. The 1851 issue uses a four-digit date logotype with the numerals widely and fairly evenly spaced. According to mint records, 13 obverse and 33 reverse dies were made for 1851 although not all were necessarily used. A beauty. Pop 37; 11 in 63; 2 in 64. (PCGS # 8904) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 3995		1855-O $20 Liberty. NGC graded EF-45. Bold detail. Lightly toned. A few scattered marks. Adding to those results, a word about strike: this piece has all but needle-sharp devices, with gorgeous detail on the eagle, shield, stars, sun rays. Although the 1855-O is sometimes overshadowed by the more talked about 1854-O rarity, this date is sandwiched between two of the classic rarities (1856-O is also noteworthy) and is very difficult to find in any grade from a mintage of only 8,000 pieces. Bowers, in his recent detailed history of the double eagle series, reports that fewer than a hundred pieces are believed to exist. Most are Very Fine and a few Extremely Fine. Even a few of the great "name" collection formed over the last 50 to 100 years rarely account for this date in other than worn, sometimes scruffy condition. The present offering is one of the most pleasing that will be offered this year, so take heed. Pop 7; 21 finer. Estimated Value $15,000 - 18,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $18,975
Lot 3996		1855-S $10 Liberty. VF-30. Light rim nick at 7 o'clock but this is almost immaterial given the attractive color and surface condition. Only 18,000 minted in 1855 at the San Francisco mint, following a burst of activity the first year (1854). Estimated Value $750 - 800. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,208
Lot 3997		1858-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-58. Lovely golden toning. Frsoty luster erupts vividly beneath billowing golden orange highlights, while bursts of the same luster sheen adheres to the smooth contours of Liberty's face. The lack of circulation friction on this high point means that the coin edges close to full Mint State quality. The strike is strong save for a hint of lightness at the right ornament of the shield where UNUM is blurred due to insufficient metal flow into the deepest die recess. So scarce is this issue that there are none high at PCGS than MS62! Pop 31; 12 finer. None higher than MS62 at PCGS. (PCGS # 8925) . Estimated Value $3,700 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,485
Lot 3998		1861 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63 PQ. Old green holder. Light even toning on both sides. A nice strike. Candidate for upgrade. A bright $20 coin of the first or No Motto Type soaking up mint glow on gold surfaces with nothing to censor it from its choice grade. Soft-edged devices and lettering throughout the centers are typical on this issue, as commonly seen; however, a small percentage of this year's production is found with enough convincing detail to be called "bold" and this is one such coin! The beginning of the nation's breakup began in December 1860 when South Carolina seceded from the Union. Six other states would do so in the early months of 1861 in protest to the Morrill Tariff and the election of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th president. These seven states joined together to form the Confederate States of America. An action like this could only provoke and panic the banking and moneyed interests of New York and the East Coast, of course. Depositors inundated the mints with bullion for coinage into gold (compare mintage figures on all the gold denominations to the results from 1860). Many double eagles, however, were sent overseas once hostilities broke out at Fort Sumter. With a war on, and military suppliers rubbing their hands in anticipation of war profits, the game was on to send goods to America, both North and South, to be paid for by means of these precious metal double eagles! Pop 31; 11 in 64; 3 in 65. (PCGS # 8932) . Estimated Value $8,000 - 9,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $16,100
Lot 3999		1861-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-50. A rare date in Mint State and therefore desirable as an AU which costs only a fraction of the price. A high degree of luster graces the satiny gold surfaces whose impact is made all the more forceful by warm orange toning. The fields as well as the devices show numerous small contact marks. Pop 78. (PCGS # 8935) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,898
Lot 4000		1867 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Light bag marks however less than usually seen. Well struck with nice color. Strong golden metal flow enhances the billowing mint dazzle that emits like forked lightning from the nicely toned surfaces, giving the coin a shimmering, glowing appearance typical of this hoard issue. The original mint brilliance is only interrupted by few marks on the face near the nose, and some in the field by the lower right hand stars. The most noticeable marks on the reverse are a shallow scuff through the vertical stripes of the shield and out across the surface above the arrow points and two that are higher up on the eagle. Taking stock of another key aspect of the grade, this piece has knife-edged devices throughout, including centers, including stars, rather than a soft, mushy strike as sometimes seen on Type 2 twenties. Pop 26; 1 in 63. (PCGS # 8951) . Estimated Value $5,500 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $7,475
Lot 4001		1872 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. Nice original mint color. Well preserved for this scarce issue with gleaming, frosty luster plus natural "old gold" look that tells us this never went through the coin cleaning dip. The normal quotient of bagmarks seen on both sides. A great deal of discussion also surrounds a coin's strike. This 1872 P-mint Type 2 has excellent detail with no sign of weakness to the eagle, the shield, or the side ornamentation. Stars on the obverse are full, if not exactly "bold." Pop 27; 11 in 62; 1 in 63. (PCGS # 8963) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,520
Lot 4002		1873 $20 Liberty. Open 3. PCGS graded MS-62. Attractive golden orange mint color. Without doubt the most visually striking feature of this coin is its soft, frosted mint luster and the way Liberty's cheek remains clean without heavy bagging. Full swirling luster on both sides, in fact. An attractive Type 2 double eagle. Pop 631; 94 finer. (PCGS # 8967) . Estimated Value $2,400 - 2,600. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,565
Lot 4003		1873 $20 Liberty. Open 3. NGC graded MS-61. A nice yellow gold piece with notable luster throughout. The top surface lightly abraded by coin to coin contact in the mint bag. Choice rims on both sides. Estimated Value $1,400 - 1,500. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,323
Lot 4004		1875-CC $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-55. Bright with tawny-gold color, both sides exhibit few of the usual marks or blemishes. A generous amount of crisp detail for the CC-mint, including those areas with the usual weak metal flows into the deepest channels of the dies leaving the centers bold. Pop 114. (PCGS # 8974) . Estimated Value $1,350 - 1,450. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,185
Lot 4005		1875-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-58 PQ. Several light marks on the cheek, but the luster is swirling on both sides, the color excellent, plus high square protecting rims that frame the central features. Never a dull moment: In 1875, the nation reeled at the exposure of yet another public scandal when the Whiskey Ring was uncovered and brought to public attention. An association of distillers and Federal officials had been defrauding the Government of a large slice of the tax revenue, part of which was used to bribe other public officials and finance lobbying activity. A number of Grant appointees were indicted, including the President's secretary (PCGS # 8975) . Estimated Value $675 - 725. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $805
Lot 4006		1875-S $20 Liberty. NGC graded AU-58. Light marks in the hair, at the nose, and on the cheek; warm orange gold color. Minor weakness in the detail at centers, plus the stars appear shallow from a light strike by the dies. Estimated Value $625 - 650. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $810
Lot 4007		1876-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. A satiny frosted Type 2 twenty with enough frost to cause it to display cartwheel luster and nice pale orange toning. A few light bagmarks on the cheek, below the chin, and out in the field by the second star. There is also a small mark below the second A in AMERICA on the reverse, but this side of the piece tends to be choicer appearing (PCGS # 8978) . Estimated Value $700 - 750. The Victor Kramer Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,495
Lot 4008		1876-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-58 PQ. A pleasing Type 2 Liberty Double Eagle. An pleasing Type 2 double eagle in all respects, the luster is extensive and unyielding to all but a few light marks, while pale orange highlights blossom on both sides. The strike is typical in the centers, as seen on virtually any date in the series from 1866 to 1876, and it is because Liberty's hair curls are nondescript that we believe the mint chose to revise the design for 1877, giving Liberty a fuller head of hair (PCGS # 8978) . Estimated Value $550 - 600. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $690
Lot 4009		1878 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Frosty luster throughout with light reddish gold color (PCGS # 8985) . Estimated Value $1,650 - 1,750. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,783
Lot 4010		1883-S $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Nice light gold and orange toning. Some minor roughness at Liberty's cheek; the reverse is one or two points higher than the assigned grade. This example has shimmering golden surfaces and pale rose toning. Pop 243; 59 in 63; 5 in 64. Estimated Value $1,400 - 1,600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,955
Lot 4011		1884-CC $20 Liberty. PCGS graded AU-50 PQ. A desirable double eagle struck at the fabled Carson Mint in Nevada, one of only 81,139 pieces dated 1884. Well struck with ample luster and above average eye-appeal (PCGS # 9001) . Estimated Value $1,600 - 1,700. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,725
Lot 4012		1893-CC $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Nice light toning on both sides. Choice for the grade. An impressive, spinning-bright specimen whose numerical grade seems to understate the very choice surfaces one sees, surfaces that spread light with vivid warm golden display of originality over both sides. Almost everyone likes to seek a CC-mint double eagle that was struck with precision and care by the dies in the outer margins and on all legends, this is to be expected; here though, the inner designs were also left crisply detailed by the imprint of the dies. Pop 131; 18 in MS63. (PCGS # 9023) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $12,075
Lot 4013		1894 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Fresh golden surfaces with some accents of "old gold" color (PCGS # 9025) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,265
Lot 4014		1894-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. We have handled a fair number of later-date Liberty twenties, and this piece is just as choice, just as enjoyable to view and describe despite its modest grade. Both sides are richly frosted with alternating golden and orange-gold luster. The strike is complete, and the surfaces, while lightly bagmarked, fits easily within the bounds of the MS62 grade (PCGS # 9026) . Estimated Value $700 - 800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $776
Lot 4015		1895 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Nice color with choice all around frostiness; the usual small bagmarks seen (PCGS # 9027) . Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,100. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,150
Lot 4016		1895-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. The active toning gives a good account of itself on this handsome 1895-S twenty. Lustrous throughout (PCGS # 9028) . Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,000. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,070
Lot 4017		1896-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Well endowed with frosty luster. Those expecting a sharp strike, however, may be a little disappointed, since a few areas show weakness (PCGS # 9030) . Estimated Value $1,500 - 1,600. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,495
Lot 4018		1897 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Yellow-red patina dominates both sides of this golden beauty, with only minor hairlines as the limits on the grade (PCGS # 9031) . Estimated Value $550 - 600. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $780
Lot 4019		1898 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Vivid bright fields and devices. Scarce date in high grade, for some reason easily explained, the 1898 issue is much scarcer, grade for grade than the San Francisco counterpart. The reason? Low mintage: just 170,470 pieces were made at Philadelphia dated 1898 (PCGS # 9033) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,553
Lot 4020		1898-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Frosty with golden and natural greenish mint color. A few lighter bagmarks and we could see this as a MS65 gem (PCGS # 9034) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,013
Lot 4021		1898-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Nice light golden toning on both sides. What is most in full view when we examine this coin is its thick, golden mint luster -- it swirls over each side unhindered by any but small abrasions and showing dusky "old gold" patina that connoisseurs prefer. A coin with outward charm that will delight the serious San Francisco mint collector (PCGS # 9034) . Estimated Value $900 - 950. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,093
Lot 4022		1898-S $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Brilliant copper red color still burns from the surface of this appealing coin. Estimated Value $625 - 675. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $810
Lot 4023		1899-S $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-64. Lovely golden toning with semi reflective surfaces. Jaw-dropping warm gold color. Each side has a vivid hue that is surrounded by a wide margin of prooflike mirror surface. About as fully struck as these S-mint twenties are normally found, with just a trace of weakness at the stars, but the centers are quite bold. Pop 253; 1 in 64 Star; 7 in 65; 3 in 68. Estimated Value $2,500 - 2,800. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,530
Lot 4024		1899-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Very lustrous with warm colored toning. A handsome double eagle (PCGS # 9036) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,800. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,380
Lot 4025		1900. PCGS graded each MS-62. Both with rich mint luster. Lot of 2 coins (PCGS # 9037) . Estimated Value $1,050 - 1,150. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 4026		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-65 PQ. A gorgeous coin! Satiny with rich mint colors. Old green holder. A bright coin radiating mint glow on fresh gold surfaces with nothing to censor it from its bold grade. What gladdens us most is to see a crisp rather than a dullish, smooth impression was left by the pressure of the dies that struck this sharp specimen (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $3,300 - 3,500. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,600
Lot 4027		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Satiny pinkish luster. This is a truly splendid offering of the most plentiful Liberty $20 date in the series (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $1,100 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,610
Lot 4028		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Nice golden-orange mint color with fresh rolling luster and a relatively clean face on Liberty. Only a few light marks at the chin and upper cheek area. The field around the eagle is especially attractive (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $1,100 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,610
Lot 4029		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. Pleasing balanced color. Luxuriant orange-gold color is seen over each side of this choice MS63 with light accents of peach or orange-apricot. A tiny bagmark at the eyebrow (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $700 - 750. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $949
Lot 4030		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-63. The fiery-gold color is especially vibrant on this handsome 1904 double eagle. Quite choice (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $700 - 750. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,093
Lot 4031		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Early 1900s twenty dollar gold coin that displays ample luster over both sides (PCGS # 9045) . Estimated Value $650 - 675. Frank McCarthy Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $719
Lot 4032		1904-S $20 Liberty. Coins grade EF-40 and AU-50 respectively. Lot of 2 coins. Estimated Value $1,000 - 1,100. The Emile A. Tartakow Collection. View details	Realized $1,323
Lot 4033		1907-D $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Light even gold toning. A small mark on the face otherwise MS65. This is the last issue of the Liberty double eagle design and a fashionably sharp coin it is, one for a nice gold Type set. Pop 411. (PCGS # 9053) . Estimated Value $2,200 - 2,500. The Emile A. Tartakow Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,588
Lot 4034		1907-D $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Light even gold toning on both sides with pale rose tint and beauty that is easy to see. A splendid frosty coin. Pop 411; 113 in 65; 14 in 66. (PCGS # 9053) . Estimated Value $2,200 - 2,500. The Emile A. Tartakow Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,588
Lot 4035		1907-S $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-63. The surfaces are radiant and each side has a nice veneer of pinkish rose gold patina that whips and swirls as it alternates between lighter and darker shades, giving the viewer the familiar "cartwheel" spin that makes double eagles so attractive. Here, too, we are struck by the full, convincing design detail for all areas of this San Francisco mint coin with not even the slightest amount of flatness. The grade is limited by a few scuffs in the luster at the chin and jaw, that is all. Pop 525; 170 in 64; 10 in 65. Estimated Value $1,900 - 2,100. View details and enlarged photos	Unsold