Lot 4487
1926-D $20 St. Gaudens. PCGS graded MS-64. PCGS holder 11689489. Lovely golden toning on both sides. This is one of the key dates to find in Choice Mint State of the Saint-Gaudens series of double eagles. Mintage declined to 481,000 for the year, all of which (or nearly all) circulated. A few later surfaced in Swiss banks vaults, but clearly the supply was insufficient to fill the burgeoning demand. It can be said with some assurance that in this condition, the 1926-D is a great rarity, with few peers and only a handful in higher grades.
The color of this beautiful coin is spectacular, with no disturbance in the luster copper stains. The strike is sharp as any we have seen, and we note a complete absence of weakness on either side. Every detail is full. There is one hidden insignificant scrape down Liberty's outstretched arm, but a glass is needed to see any other marks for the most part. One of the rare and desirable branch mint double eagles from the Roaring Twenties, and a coin in full MS64 condition worthy of the finest set. Pop 17; 7 finer; 5 in 65; 2 in 66. (PCGS # 9184) .
Historical note: When David Akers, a well-respected double eagle author and authority, wrote about this issue twenty years ago he stated "In every respect except one, the 1926-D is virtually identical in rarity to the 1925-S (The one area in which they differ is that the 1925-S is often seen in circulated condition whereas the 1926-D is nearly always seen only in Mint State.)" Today, the tide has shifted a bit in favor of the 1926-D. With regards to overall rarity, today the 1926-D is theoretically twice as rare as the 1925-S.
Estimated Value $60,000 - 65,000.
Ohringer Family Trust Holdings.
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| Realized $71,875 |
