Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 53

Pre-Long Beach Coin and Currency Auction

$20 Gold

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1363		1854 $20 Liberty. Small date. NGC graded MS-62. There are two major varieties of the 1854 double eagle. The first and most common variety is the 1854 with Small date. Most of the 1854 double eagles seen are of this variety. The overall rarity is very similar to that of the 1852 and 1853 issues, according to Garrett and Guth in their U.S. Gold Coins reference work. The surfaces of this piece are remarkably clean for the period and show thick, frosted mint luster, somewhat muted in areas but covering the surface completely. Light reddish-gold color is seen over both obverse and reverse, and the striking details are sharply defined throughout. There is a faint mark on Liberty's cheek. A few light luster grazes around the eagle on the reverse, as well. Pop 4; none finer at NGC. (PCGS # 8911) . Estimated Value $10,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $14,375
Lot 1364		1856-S $20 Liberty S.S. Central America. PCGS graded MS-60 PQ. In the gold foil holder. Exhibits lovely golden toning. Housed in a special box as issued by California Gold Group. A pristine 1856-S from the S.S. Central America and a satiny delight. The frosty honey gold surfaces display attractive orange gold colors in a delightful sheen, with a hint of an even higher grade in the iridescence mingling warmly on both sides. Boldly struck, appealing specimen. Despite the substantial mintage of this date (1,189,750 pieces), in choice Mint State 64 or finer grades its reputation as a rarity is secure. PCGS has certified very few examples of the date in the special purpose holders. The present specimen easily rivals any other specimen in this outstanding grade, and is certainly notable. We expect to see serious bidding activity when this beautiful early San Francisco branch mint double eagle crosses the auction block (PCGS # 8696) . Estimated Value $4,000 - 4,400. Ex: S.S. Central America Treasure. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $6,900
Lot 1365		1857-S $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-64. Gold Foil Tag. S.S. Central America. 20 A Spiked Shield. SSCA 4155. Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $8,050
Lot 1366		1865 $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-65. A blazing gem both well struck and untoned. Talk about a truly out of this world coin! We are pleased to report richly frosted luster on the reverse with oceans more satiny texture on the obverse, creating a duality of pristine pride. There are really no areas of vexing weak detail on either side, just the opposite in fact. The coin is sharp as a knife blade with crisp details in the main devices and legends. All stars full. As to the color, it is primarily bright reddish-gold in hue and similar to a few others from the S.S. Republic shipwreck that have been carefully "conserved" by the salvers. Both sides are deservedly free of blemishes for a Type 1 Liberty $20 in a Mint State 65 holder, a lot of high-class preservation. All things considered, someone would be hard pressed to imagine a more attractive 1865 from this historic shipwreck in the rare coin marketplace. Pop 3; none finer at either service. (PCGS # 8943) . Estimated Value $30,000 - 32,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $28,175
Lot 1367		1867 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-61. A nice frosty coin with the usual assortment of light surface marks on the cheek and in the fields. The 1867 issue owes its availability in this condition to the discovery of overseas hoards that have revealed significant amounts of Mint State coins. A popular Type 1 date with collectors since the luster is always vibrant and frosty. You might want to wear sun glasses when viewing it under a strong incandescent light! Pop 66; 33 finer; 32 in 62; 1 in 63. (PCGS # 8951) . Estimated Value $3,300 - 3,500. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,600
Lot 1368		1868 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded Proof 64 Cameo. Only 25 Proofs struck. A dazzling brilliant specimen, lightly toned with excellent cameo contrast. This is a strikingly beautiful example of a very rare date $20 in Proof. The frost on the devices provides the basis for the strong contrast against the mirror fields. Exceedingly choice surfaces throughout, with just a few light hairlines from a Proof 65 grade. There are no other signs of handling such as minor surface nicks or discoloration, just these wispy lines. A blush of natural toning haze on both sides. Close examination will provide the viewer hours of enjoyment from the sharp detail of the die-maker's craft as well as the overall balanced appearance of the design, which is the handiwork of the Mint's chief engraver at the time, James Barton Longacre (d.1869). The Annual Mint Report lists a scant 25 were sold in Proof. There is every possibility some went unsold or were otherwise lost to numismatics today. The PCGS population report confirms the rarity. A terrific opportunity for the forward-thinking numismatist as choice quality U.S. Proof gold is a hallmark of the truly great collections that are assembled. American commerce was still trying to stabilized after the Civil War under the auspices of President Ulysses S. Grant in 1868, who after his career in the military decided to try his hand at politics. The gold and money markets of New York were off-kilter after the advent of greenback paper money in 1861-2. Prices quoted for $20 gold pieces (of the circulating kind) often carried large premiums above melt. At one point in 1869, there was an attempted "corner" of the gold market in New York by speculators which created yet another seismic shock to commerce. For all intents and purposes, despite respectable mintage of all gold denomination in these years, gold coins did not circulate in America east of the Colorado Rockies. Any coins that the mint did strike were bought up by banks and exporters from jobbers at premium prices and shipped overseas in payment for imports or for specie transfers. Is it any wonder, then, that few Proofs of this handsome specimen were ever made and sold? Pop 3; none finer at PCGS (PCGS # 89083) . Estimated Value $80,000 - 90,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1369		1879 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded Proof 64 Cameo. Primarily untoned with captivating mirrorlike cameo surfaces. Only 30 proofs minted. Pop 2; none finer at PCGS. Only 2 examples graded higher at NGC; 1 in 65CAM and 1 in 66CAM Star (PCGS # 89095) . Estimated Value $45,000 - 50,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1370		1900 $20 Liberty. NGC graded MS-62. Frosty with some minor scuffs on the cheek and chin (PCGS # 9037) . Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 1371		1902 $20 Liberty. NGC graded Proof 65. A gem all brilliant Proof example and warm golden-orange in color. Only 114 proofs struck. The display of warm golden toning ingratiates itself over both sides. Exceedingly choice for the grade, 1902 also happens to be a rare date as a Proof with few of the pieces struck 106 years ago in this outstanding Gem condition. Of the original number perhaps 30 or 40 still remain locked away in collections, high grade examples being especially rare (just run your vision over the supplied population figures at the end of this text). We are under the certain presumption that 1902 deserves exclusive mention, due in part to the scarcity of existing business strike population figures, but chiefly from the paucity of certified samples from the main the grading services. This is an attractive piece that shows some light field-to-device contrast but not enough to give it a cameo dimension. The deep, watery mirrored fields display a plethora of visible mint sparkle and dancing light when the coin is tilted at various angles, a common occurrence for the few remaining high grade Liberty double eagles. All things considered, a very attractive example of a very elusive year. Pop 2; 1 finer in PF-66 at NGC. PCGS has graded 1 example at this level (PCGS # 9118) . How to explain the so-called "orange peel" surface on America's Proof gold coins? After the dies are hubbed and the date is applied, the die is given multiple polishes with progressively finer and finer polish. The last polish given to the dies prior to being hardened gives the field a surface quite like a mirror. This is the deepest mirror attainable on the dies. When the die is hardened, the metal shrinks slightly creating a wavy effect on the polished surfaces. It looks somewhat like the surface of an orange. When you see orange peel on a Proof issue like this 1902 $20 you can be sure that it is one of the first examples struck from those dies. Later polishing to the already hardened dies will produce a flatter and shallower mirror. Estimated Value $60,000 - 65,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1372		1904 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-65 PQ. Old green holder. Lovely rich golden tonig on both sides. A beautiful, frosty-gold Gem, there are no unsettling bagmarks on either side. No more, no less, just as fully struck, as attractive, as you could ask for in a 1904 Liberty twenty, with complete detail in the stars, hair, and throughout the eagle (PCGS # 9045) . Film buffs will recognize 1904 as the year in which Edwin S. Porter's The Great Train Robbery (the first well-known American film with a story line) was released to exhibitors. The 14-minute, single-reel film was also featured at the opening of the first modern movie theater the next year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Porter, working in the Edison laboratory, discovered the principle of editing. By piecing together films from the stockroom he made The Life of an American Fireman, which was released in 1903 to a limited audience. Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,300. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $5,700
Lot 1373		1906 $20 Liberty. NGC graded Proof 65 Cameo. In a new 4 pronged NGC holder. A glittering brilliant gem example with surfaces which are nearly flawless! Only 94 Proofs struck. One of the most attractive and memorable Proofs of this year with sleek mirror surfaces, deep and watery offset by lovely cameo frost. The light veil of patina over each side lends a further note of beauty. The strike is razor-sharp, including the hair waves above and below Liberty's ear plus the key central reverse design which sometimes comes off marginally incomplete on the Proofs issued in 1900-07. Superlative throughout as achieved from attaining the highest possible attraction for its grade. With low mintage that rarely exceeds 100 pieces, Proof Type 3 Liberty double eagles enjoy the maximum value and desirability. There are only a handful of "cameo" Proof 1906 twenties recorded by the grading services. (On most examples, the 1906 issue had strong details before polishing removed the bridge of Liberty's nose, a common occurrence seen on the last Proofs to be struck, not only in the double eagles but other gold denominations as well.) Pop 5; 2 in 66 CAM (PCGS # 89122) . This lovely Proof $20 was struck at the third Philadelphia Mint, built on Spring Garden St. and opened in 1901. A massive structure nearly a full city block, it was an instant landmark. Characterized by a Roman temple facade, visitors were to marvel at seven themed glass mosaics designed by Louis C. Tiffany in a gold backed vaulted ceiling. The mosaics depicted ancient Roman coin making methods. This ex mint still stands intact with much of the interior as well, serving as the home of the Community College of Philadelphia. (The fourth and current Philadelphia Mint opened its doors in 1969.). Estimated Value $65,000 - 70,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1374		1907 $20 Liberty. NGC graded Proof 65 Cameo. Only 78 pieces minted. An exquisite Gem Cameo Proof example glittering with slightly cloudy natural greenish-golden color surfaces. On the Proofs, the date is almost centered, slants up; "Broken Nose" as in some 1906 Double Eagle Proofs. This is the final year of design for mint engraver James Barton Longacre's venerable Liberty Head. Uses the modified reverse hub of 1900-07 having the back of the eagle's neck smooth. This lovely specimen has virtues without limit: The devices are lightly frosted, imparting a pleasing and desirable cameo appearance. A few wispy hairlines are visible on each side, consistent with the grade assigned. This piece is unquestionably a Gem Proof, spot-free with remarkable glass-smooth fields on either side exhibiting light "orange peel" texture when light strikes it at the proper angle. The bridge of the nose is broken and polished on the Proofs of 1907, about level with the upper eyelid as evidenced in the photograph. On the reverse, a small area of die polish is visible on the scroll between the letters L and U of PLURIBUS, also seen on most (all?) specimens. We are unaware of any business strikes that show either of these two characteristics. This was a transition year for the double eagle. Liberty design gracefully yielded the stage at year end to Saint-Gaudens' innovative $20 gold piece (the High Relief design was not coined until November 1907). It seems that 40 or so of the Proofs still exist today. Auction records, while plentiful, may be of several specimens that have made a number of appearances in recent years. With awe-inspiring eye appeal and solid technical merits, we would not be surprised to see many bids on this handsome coin. In a new 4 pronged NGC holder. Pop 6; 8 finer, 2 in 65 Star, 5 in 66, 1 in 67 (PCGS # 89123) . Estimated Value $50,000 - 55,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1375		1907 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded MS-62. Old green holder. Lustrous. Last year of issue (PCGS # 9052) . Estimated Value $1,100 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,560
Lot 1376		A Lot of U.S. Gold Coins in Jewelry. Consists of: 1893 $10, 1916-S $10, and 1904-S $20. All 3 coins are housed in 14kt Gold Mounts. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,420
Lot 1377		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Wire Rim. PCGS graded MS-65. A splendid gem example exhibiting delicate golden toning throughout. In a typical sale, we usually offer several High Relief double eagles. However, it is always a great pleasure to be given the opportunity to catalog a fresh-looking Wire Rim example that grades as fine and as strictly on-target as this mesmerizing '65 Gem. This truly is an attractive coin. The sleek surfaces are undisturbed and satin-like, without even the tiniest alloy spot, and we are also free to say we cannot see a single abusive surface mark. Both sides are layered in fresh golden color that serves to highlight the already impressive high-rise devices. In sum, a coin that would enfold itself around the virtuous collector who demands everything the finest for his collection of U.S. gold coins. Pop 283; 83 finer (PCGS # 9135) . Note: The wire rims, sometimes called "knife rims" or, in Mint parlance, "fins," are common elsewhere, such as in 19th century Proof coinage. Estimated Value $37,000 - 40,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $41,975
Lot 1378		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Wire Rim. NGC graded MS-64. Very well struck with delicate natural toning. Catalogers sometimes run the risk of overgeneralization with the emphasis on Gem (MS65) and Superb (MS67) coins. However, considerable opportunities exist in many areas of the numismatic market for coins graded MS64 and the High Relief Roman Numerals $20 is such an opportunity. This near-Gem presents an ocean of possibilities. The wire rim variant of the regular-issue High Relief Saint-Gaudens is several times more available than the Flat Rim variant, yet few collectors desire to own a pair (cost being prohibitive to such an undertaking). There is nothing negative to say about this delightful coin, although for provenance tracing purposes we mention a single scuff on the flat part of the rim above the R in LIBERTY that is easily overlooked, one small tic on Liberty's thigh, and a couple of small marks on the eagle's wing feathers. Both sides of this honey-gold, satiny example are awash in brilliant luster (PCGS # 9135) . Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $24,725
Lot 1379		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Wire Rim. PCGS graded MS-64. Nice bold strike. Nice golden toning. The more easily obtainable Wire Rim variety of this immensely popular 20th century gold classic, and an eye-appealing, choice MS64 representative as well. There is a slight reddish tinge over satiny, well preserved surfaces and contact is limited to a few minor marks that are all but imperceptible. If the would-be buyer is considering the rather large outlay necessary to make a purchase of a nicer High Relief Saint, this one comes highly recommended (PCGS # 9135) . Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $24,150
Lot 1380		1907 High Relief Wire Rim. NGC graded MS-62. Well struck with smooth, velvety luster and rich orange-gold shades; only scattered bagmarks on Liberty and the eagle. A great deal of discussion also surrounds the High Relief's strike. As is well known, it took the mint several "cycles" of the press to gain the high relief, in-between which the partially struck coins had to be removed from the press, annealed (to soften the metal for another blow from the dies). All this entailed a lot of extra labor. The result is as you see: This has outstanding detail with no sign of weakness to the high points such as Liberty's face or her toes. Estimated Value $14,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $16,675
Lot 1381		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Flat Rim. PCGS graded MS-65. A gorgeous gem example exhibiting delicate golden-orange luster on both sides. The flat rim variety is rarer than the wire edge, although many would-be bidders simply wish to own a representative sample of America's most beautiful gold coin. And an outstanding Gem example it is! This has a flat rim around the wide flat border (no wire edge evident). Mintage of the High Relief coins totaled 11,250 struck in November and December, 1907. Wire-edge examples, which are more plentiful than those with flat rim, have an approximate three to one ratio. It is understood 4,000 were struck with flat (not wire) rim. This was publicized in 1908, soon after delivery of the High Reliefs to the Treasury, and for a long time thereafter many listings included these as separate varieties. Warm golden surfaces exhibit the ever-desirable strong satin luster and fine swirling texture, which is the kind of quality that really engages the aesthetic sense with its beauty. The date, for the first time on an American coin, is in Roman numerals, MCMVII (The designer of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition $50 pieces imitated this device when dating his models.) Pop 92; 45 finer (PCGS # 9136) . Estimated Value $37,000 - 40,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1382		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Flat Rim. PCGS graded MS-65. A magnificent example. Well struck and eye-catching. Bright, lustrous, and of gem quality in all regards, this lovely MCMVII (1907) High Relief twenty will attract anyone to the beauty of its motif. Over the years various surveys have confirmed this as one of the favorite designs from a numismatic viewpoint. Much could be said about the Saint-Gaudens $20 coinage, and in past catalogs we have done so. Around the year 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt, in taking note of the artistry of ancient Greek coins, decided to make changes to the nation's coins. He contacted Augustus Saint-Gaudens, an American sculptor whose home and studio were in Cornish, New Hampshire. Without the intersession of the Treasury Department or the Mint, traditional places where new designs originated, Roosevelt arranged with the artist to redesign all of America's coins from the double eagle down to the lowly cent. Saint-Gaudens was given a free hand to develop his ideas anyway he thought. For the obverse design of the $20 piece, Saint-Gaudens selected a standing figure known as Fame. It was originally used as part of the Sherman Victory monument erected at the Grand Army Plaza in Central Park, New York City. Some modifications were made, but the goddess remains pretty much the same as the artist envisioned it. In the background is a depiction of the United States Capitol building along with the rays of the sun. Pop 92; 45 finer; 38 in 66; 6 in 67; 1 in 68. (PCGS # 9136) . Estimated Value $37,000 - 40,000. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $42,550
Lot 1383		1907. High Relief, Roman Numerals, Flat Rim. PCGS graded MS-63 PQ. The fields and rims are remarkably clean for this grade. A lovely golden toned beauty and worthy of our Premium Quality designation. One of several delightfully choice MCMVII High Relief $20 gold pieces in the sale, a Mint State 63 beauty with frosty yellow surfaces that display a wealth of attractive bright iridescence. The strike is bold and appealing, while the surfaces hold up extremely well to careful scrutiny. If Mint State 63 quality is your financial "sweet spot" then the present specimen will represent the grade commendably in your set. Definitely a coin anyone would be proud to own and display (PCGS # 9136) . Estimated Value $19,000 - 21,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1384		1907 $20 St. Gaudens. Flat relief. PCGS graded MS-65 PQ. Old green holder. Lovely rich golden toning. Near perfect fields. From center to periphery the glare of luminous golden luster glows. The first issues of these come with soft satiny luster that, in the top-end Gems like the present one, offer the viewer a cascading effect of smooth-flowing color from center to periphery. President Theodore Roosevelt objected to the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, since he felt such a phrase had no place on our coinage. Perhaps he had a personal reason to object, or was merely following the ideals of separation of church and state. Roosevelt's objections were appropriately voiced within the Mint. This design is Charles Barber's further modification of the Saint-Gaudens design, whose lowered relief prepared it for ease of minting and use in commerce (PCGS # 9141) . Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,300. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,025
Lot 1385		1907 $20 St. Gaudens. Flat relief. NGC graded MS-64. Lovely natural golden toning. Softly struck. Satiny, as befits a coin in which the surfaces are choice with rich natural hues (PCGS # 9141) . Estimated Value $1,400 - 1,450. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,013
Lot 1386		1908-D. ICG graded MS-63. No Motto. A choice frosty coin with warm golden color -- a great improvement over more dullish looking examples. Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details	Realized $1,438
Lot 1387		1908 $20 St. Gaudens. No motto. NGC graded MS-63. Old holder. This fully gold colored example displays beams of metallic vibrancy in virtually all areas. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,495
Lot 1388		1910 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-62. Frosty and untoned (PCGS # 9154) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 1389		1910-D $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-65. A gleaming, mint-fresh example, as crisp and golden as when it was first released from to the Treasury for distribution. In fairness to objectivity, the luster isn't the be-all and end-all of the grade but it sure does catch the eye when this bright, this alluring. Consider strike: a sharp impression was left by the recoil of the dies that struck this 1910-D Saint. It shows extraordinary detail. Pop 812; 96 in 66; 2 in 67. (PCGS # 9155) . Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,760
Lot 1390		1910-D $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. Light golden toning. Attractive golden Mint State preservation in the devices and fields (PCGS # 9155) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,740
Lot 1391		1911 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded Proof 64. A splendid matte proof. Uniform mustard golden color a touch lighter at the raised knee. Only 100 pieces struck. Dark fine sand-blast finish Proof, darker than the 1908 (the last use of a sand-blast finish on Proofs), more like the dark 1908's more often seen. A very presentable Matte Proof Saint-Gaudens double eagle, one of just a handful remaining. The preservation of the surfaces of this coin is extremely choice. We can find no contact marks or planchet flakes, and there is almost no variation in color on this lovely specimen. A few wispy hairlines. When viewed using a strong magnifier, each granule of the sand-blast finish sparkles the light in a random pattern; viewed as a whole, the coin has a multi-faceted glint to it whose overall visual appeal is unmistakable. As stated, the condition of this coin is quite choice. It would be hard to overemphasize the beauty of this piece and we cannot imagine how the eye appeal could be any stronger. Pop 8; 12 finer, 8 in 65, 2 in 66, 2 in 67 (PCGS # 9208) . Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $34,500
Lot 1392		1911 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. Nice frosty toned coin. Low mintage issue: 197,250 pieces (PCGS # 9157) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,620
Lot 1393		1911-D $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-65. A strikingly beautiful Gem example. The coin offers everything from creamy luster to rich pale orange-gold color with none of the usual tiny alloy spots often found on these (PCGS # 9158) . Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,800. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $2,415
Lot 1394		1914-S $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-63. Light golden toning and lustrous (PCGS # 9166) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,495
Lot 1395		1914-S $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-63. With light golden color on the devices, the surfaces covered in satin-smooth frost. A very attractive coin (PCGS # 9166) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,553
Lot 1396		1914-S $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. Toned (PCGS # 9166) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,620
Lot 1397		1915-S $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. Toned and lustrous (PCGS # 9168) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,495
Lot 1398		1916-S $20 Saint. MS-63. Lightly toned. Popularly collected date. Choice and lustrous. The sceptic will find nothing to fault here. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,553
Lot 1399		1920-S $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-64 Hesselgesser. Well struck and frosty with hues of golden-orange and olive. We are pleased as can be to have been awarded this extremely rare coin for auction. Throw away the mintage figures since, of the 558,000 struck, perhaps no more than a few score survive today in all grades. The rest were melted or otherwise lost. This date is so rare that Breen estimated the number to survive at 8-12 when he compiled the information for his Encyclopedia in the 1970s (the book was published in 1988). Today, with the advantage of the PCGS and NGC Population Reports a fair number (but not a large number) have been graded by PCGS and NGC services. The census no doubt includes some duplication between them, so the total might be adjusted downward. This attractive MS64 is one of the best, as PCGS reports only 13 this high, with four graded higher! Carefully struck for the date, with full details on the devices, and just a minor scattering of ticks limiting this from full gem status. Identifiable by a small above the 20 in the date and another, among several, below the lowermost leaves of the branch in Liberty's outstretched hand. Also a couple of parallel scuffs on the upper curve of one wing on the reverse. Booming luster and a wonderful example for the specialist to purchase for a date set. One of the centerpieces among the double eagle offerings in this sale, we feel it is destined for similar distinction in an advanced collection of this beautifully rendered gold series. Pop 11; 5 finer with 3 in 65, 2 in 66 (PCGS # 9171) . The history of this 1920-S issue is sad but interesting. As is the case with other $20 gold pieces struck during the Roaring 'Twenties and early 'Thirties, mainly these were stored in bank vaults as backing for checking account deposits and Gold Certificates, the principal "hard money" back then. Gold $20s and gold bars were also the principal export medium in hard-money specie payments for imports. People have forgotten that under a gold standard (which ended in 1933), paper money and checking deposits weren't money at all but were commonly termed "money substitutes" or "promised money" payable on demand in the monetary metal. They were described as such in the college textbooks. All went fairly well but with emerging distress in the system when, at the depths of the Great Depression, a February to March 1933 banking panic caused the Roosevelt administration to withdraw gold from circulation. The amount withdrawn is estimated at $2.8 billion (or approximately. $130 billion at today's gold price). Whatever coins resided in the banks and at the various sub-Treasury buildings around the country were transferred to the government's account. In their place were issued Series of 1929 Federal Reserve Bank Notes. Numismatists may remember these from their brown seal and serial numbers. These had the backing of The Full Faith and Credit of the Government instead of hard assets. (Most 1920-S twenties that weren't exported from this group now owned by the government were melted beginning in 1937, to be turned into heavy 400-oz. "Coin-Gold" .900 Fine bars that are today stored in such depositories as Fort Knox. Gold ownership was re-legalized in January 1975, through an act of congress.). Estimated Value $140,000 - 150,000. Ex Hesselgesser Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1400		1921 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. A frosty mint example with light golden-orange toning. Light chatter marks are noted on both sides, none of which are noteworthy. A naturally toned Brilliant Uncirculated example and well within the narrow margins of the "Choice" category. Gleaming effervescent luster with its wisp toning boosts the visual attractiveness of the coin with its residual cartwheel frost. A few scattered marks as noted are to be found on the obverse, including a small one at the thigh and another in the field to the left of the torch end, while the reverse boasts a much fresher appearance that is almost bereft of marks. Broadly speaking, there are three classes of double eagles: common dates (of which hundreds of thousands are known), scarce dates (with a few hundred to a couple of thousand available, but not always seen in every auction), and then we have the truly rare dates. 1921 exemplifies the latter class. A decidedly low mintage of 528,500 pieces was produced in the depths of the short, deep post-World War I business depression. Like other twenties in those days, most of the 1921 issue was kept in storage in U.S. Treasury vaults and presumably melted after 1933, with only a few score reaching actual circulation. Fewer still were preserved in Mint State grades. David Akers' research established that more than half of all extant specimens are in circulated grades, while most of the others grade no higher than Mint State 60. This coin's appreciably better status places it at High Rarity-7 in Akers' rarity scale. In terms of total pieces known, the 1921 is fourth rarest in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle series after the 1907 Ultra High Relief, 1927-D, and 1933. Although there may be more 1921 double eagles in numismatic collections, the date is more difficult to find in Mint condition than even the widely admired 1930-S and 1931-D. That makes this attractive Mint State 62 an offering of considerable importance to 21st century gold specialists. Be forewarned: Bidders may be surprised to feel a shrewd kick in their estimates arising from the other savvy competitors in the room hoping to snag it when this piece crosses the auction block. Pop 21; 9 in 63, 3 in 64, 3 in 65, 1 in 66 (PCGS # 9172) . Estimated Value $140,000 - 150,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1401		1921. PCGS graded MS-61. Scarce key date. Identifiable by a few marks through both of Liberty's legs above and below the knees depending on which leg you are looking at. Without this we suppose the grade would be two points higher since the surface condition is decidedly choice, the luster glows. A worldly measure of pouring satin-frosted luster livens up the wide expanse of detail on this key date 1921. The fields are for all intents and purposes naturally toned, while the strike is intrepid enough to call for special mention on what is sometimes a poorly made year. In terms of total pieces in collectors' hands, the 1921 is the fourth rarest issue in the Saint-Gaudens double eagle set after the 1907 Extremely High Relief, 1927-D, and 1933. Although there are a fair number of 1921 double eagles in collectors' hands, the issue is difficult to locate in Mint condition. It is believed most of the 528,500 pieces produced at the Philadelphia Mint this year were melted. An offering of considerable importance to 20th century gold specialist Pop 21; 9 in 63; 3 in 64; 3 in 65; 1 in 66. (PCGS # 9172) . Estimated Value $80,000 - 90,000. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Unsold
Lot 1402		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-65. Nice golden toning. Sun-fresh gold, indeed gleaming with satin luster, and fully radiant with a near-perfect strike. Not to go overboard, there is a wealth of detail seen throughout Liberty and the eagle on this better-dated 1922 specimen. Pop 428; 9 finer; 1 in 65 Star; 7 in 66; 1 in 66 Star. (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 3,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,795
Lot 1403		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-65. A gem double eagle. Impressively preserved on the obverse, the resounding gold tone resonates to the eye. As for the reverse, the eagle flies through a smooth golden sky with limitation on the bagmarks indicating an even nicer grade. The devices were struck with such determined force by the dies that all design elements show boldly. Pop 1,114; 7 finer in 66 (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 3,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $4,025
Lot 1404		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-65. Nice golden toning. This is a virtually blemish-free case in point of the scarcer 1922 in this grade: sleek gold in color, with Gem quality mint bloom that grabs hold of the full effect of the careful preservation since it was made. A great deal of stress is laid on the strike detail of these, as well, and this piece is sharply struck on all devices (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $3,500 - 3,700. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,910
Lot 1405		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-63. Light golden toning. Fresh pinkish gold patina in the frosty luster (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,680
Lot 1406		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-63. Lightly toned over frosty luster. A popular collector's date (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,495
Lot 1407		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-62. A few obverse bag marks. Frosty (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 1408		1922 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-62. Normal bagmarks. Lustrous (PCGS # 9173) . Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,438
Lot 1409		1923 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-64. Nice golden toning. Both sides put on view the distinctive "look" for this P-mint Saint: smoothly frosted surfaces, rolling cartwheel effects, and boldly struck devices. There is nothing hesitant about this one (PCGS # 9175) . Estimated Value $1,350 - 1,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,840
Lot 1410		1923 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-63. Tinged in delicate golden-pink shades (PCGS # 9175) . Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,250. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,740
Lot 1411		1924 $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-66. A common date high quality coin for this year, and an example which displays almost enthralling golden color whose satin surface is bright, with sharp detail throughout (PCGS # 9177) . Estimated Value $2,200 - 2,300. The Mark Gordon Collection. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $3,450
Lot 1412		1924 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-64. Fully struck and very clean with thick, creamy mint frost. Basically brilliant with just a hint of golden toning (PCGS # 9177) . Estimated Value $1,350 - 1,400. View details and enlarged photos Check results on similar lots	Realized $1,783

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