Lot 3117
1887 $20 Liberty. PCGS graded Proof 53. Well struck with traces of mirror surface within the protected areas. Original "skin" with lovely golden-orange overtones. We note a couple of light milling marks scattered about but none too serious. Only 121 proofs struck for this Proof-only date. One of the major rarities in the Liberty Head Double Eagle series. The Proof-only 1887 is one among several noteworthy dates in the Liberty double eagle series. The original production of so few Proofs cements its place in the register of rare dates, of course. To which we add, its low ratio of surviving specimens points to either great attrition or insufficient sales at the time of issue (often, any overage is melted). Having that in mind, the residual mirror field of this specimen has the requisite mirrored undulation of a Proof $20 from this decade. It does display a fair number of small abrasions in the fields and on the central devices from its days in commerce, but these are on the whole within the parameters of the assigned grade. Anyone attempting to complete a date set of double eagle, or the even more demanding complete date and mintmark set, finds that the 1887 is one of the main difficulties to completing such a set. Pop 1 with only 12 examples graded for this date. (PCGS # 9103) .
Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000.
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| Realized $42,550 |
