Lot 2545
1861-S $20 Liberty. Pacquet reverse. PCGS graded AU-53 CAC Verified. PCGS certification #12243417. A very scarce date. Mostly untoned with luster a-plenty around the stars and legends and clearly evident within the devices. Identifiable by a small mark on the neck and another between the lowest curl and the 61 in the date. Rims are outstanding.
The Paquet reverse was not generally recognized as a variety until the 1930s. A number of pieces were located in Europe some two decades years later, and while these have increased the population of Paquet $20 gold modestly, but the Type still remains the scarcest S-mint double eagle. The reduced protective rim on the reverse was the primary reason for the cancellation of Anthony Paquet's modifications. This led to undue wear on the coins, which is one reason so few high grade examples are available. This particular specimen shows a number of small abrasions
Anthony C. Paquet, assistant engraver to Longacre, modified the reverse design, supposedly as an improvement. Lettering is in a taller and narrower font, which proved unacceptable after a few were struck in Philadelphia. Today, just three of these survive. In San Francisco, 19,250 examples were minted before orders were received to discontinue use of the reverse die. Thus, a highly collectible rarity was created. The example shown here is among the finest AU survivors from the San Francisco coinage. Pop 9; 7 finer; 5 in 55; 2 in 58. (PCGS # 8936) .
Estimated Value $80,000 - 90,000.
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| Realized $92,000 |
