This premium quality Gem 1809-S is an absolutely stunning Liberty double eagle irrespective of type, date or issuing mint. Both sides are fully struck even on the most trivial elements of the design. The luster is outstanding, with the obverse bright and satiny and the reverse even more vibrant with semi-prooflike reflectivity in the field. With its pristine surfaces and lovely light gold patina, it is little wonder that this coin ranks as the single finest known example of the 1890-S Liberty double eagle.One of the most significant gold coin finds of recent decades is the 2013 discovery of the Saddle Ridge Hoard in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of San Francisco. A couple were out enjoying a February walk with their dog on a trail that ran along the ridge when they spotted a metal can near an old tree. Digging with a stick, they uncovered a sealed can they originally thought was full of lead paint due to the weight. They brought it back to their residence where they found the cause for its heaviness: it was full of double eagles. They returned to the find site, this time armed with a metal detector. All told, the property owners found 1,427 coins contained in six cans totaling $27,980 in face value. Preferring to remain anonymous, the finders carefully reburied the coins then contacted Tiburon, California coin dealer Donald Kagin, whose firm helped evaluate the hoard and arrange for conservation as well as the eventual disposition of those pieces not retained by the family as mementos. The coins first became available for sale through Kagin s and Amazon.com the evening of May 27, 2014, and within 72 hours, half were sold. The hoard was found to contain coins ranging in date from 1847 to 1894 in varying states of preservation, with all but 54 pieces being double eagles. Among those, some 416 1889-S double eagles were found, comprising the vast majority of the issues recorded. Almost all of the coins were from the San Francisco Mint, indicating that they were obtained locally, with a few stragglers, including a scarce 1849-D half eagle and an 1847-O eagle. Many Mint State coins were uncovered, including rarities such as the finest known 1866-S No Motto double eagle. Speculation as to the origins of the hoard has included attributing the coins to the 1901 theft of $30,000 in gold from the San Francisco Mint, although mint officials have determined that the there is no connection between the hoard and that theft. Regardless of its origins, the Saddle Ridge Hoard will go down in the annals of numismatic and treasure hunting lore as the largest such find of buried gold ever found in the United States. Like many late 19th century double eagles struck at San Francisco, some coins dated 1890-S saw use in circulation while many others were shipped abroad where they remained until they were repatriated beginning after World War II. While not a rarity in circulated grades and the lowest Mint State levels of preservation, the 1890-S is challenging to locate above MS-63. Prior to the Saddle Ridge discovery, Mike Fuljenz ranked this issue as the scarcest San Francisco double eagle of the 1890s and overall he placed it at 22nd place out of the 54 for rarity for the Type III design. The population figures have since been bolstered by the 99 1890-S double eagles in the Saddle Ridge Hoard, of which 89 are Mint State. Ten of these coins were eventually found to be finer than any previous known pieces. Within this already astonishing grouping, one specimen stood out head and shoulders above the rest earning a stunning MS-66+ from PCGS. This coin presents a rare opportunity for those enthralled by buried treasure as well as consummate specialists seeking only the finest for their cabinets. ， Provenance: Ex Saddle Ridge Hoard. Est. $100,000-$125,000
