Lot 3550
1932 $20 St. Gaudens. NGC graded MS-65. NGC #3021262-003. Lovely natural rich toning and well struck. A very important late date double eagle. A superlative Gem whose sharp beauty causes it to project extraordinary visceral impact onto any collector viewing it for the first time. From the yellow-gold satin luster with its pale reddish undertone, to the near-absence of tiny abrasions, all the evidence points to a first-rate example, an exemplary coin if we may be so bold as to state the obvious, a specimen whose illustrious quality is fully confirmed by the numerical grade.
This is the final affordable date in the double eagle series (the 1933 is too costly to contemplate unless you have co-signing rights to Donald Trump's checking account). When the time came for President Roosevelt to issue his executive order seizing the gold in the banks, the major stock of 1932 double eagles and other gold coins that were still being held as backing for currency and checking deposits were locked up, never again to see the light of day. Well, we've fudged there slightly; perhaps a few would see the light of day, since coin collectors probably are unaware of the fact, but tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of double eagles were exported AFTER the gold seizure order in 1933. The few surviving pieces dated 1932 remained in their European hoards until the 1960s to 1980s, when they were sold back to savvy American gold importers. A revered date, perhaps fewer than a hundred to a hundred and fifty pieces survive of the 1932 double eagle mintage. Pop 14; 9 in 66, and 3 in 66 star (PCGS # 9194) .
Estimated Value $90,000 - 100,000.
The Dr. Robert Hesselgesser Collection.
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| Realized $103,500 |
