1863 Liberty Double Eagle. AU-53 (PCGS).；This handsome example displays khaki-orange patina to satiny, boldly struck surfaces. The devices are minimally worn, and the fields are evenly abraded with small marks, none of which bears mentioning on its own. 1863 saw some of the bloodiest conflicts of the entire Civil War, with one of the most pivotal battles -- Gettysburg -- taking place less than 150 miles away from the Philadelphia Mint. At the Mint, while cent production was stepped up significantly, such was not the case for double eagles. Only 142,790 were struck making it one of the more challenging Type I issues from that facility. Taken as a whole, the 1863 double eagles are quite scarce in any grade and when found they are almost always in VF or EF condition. While already considerably challenging at AU, as Q. David Bowers wrote in his guidebook for the denomination, "true Mint State coins are so rare that many old-timers have never seen one." None of the major repatriations from overseas contained large quantities of these double eagles and a mere 35 were recovered from the <em>S.S. Republic</em>. When one notes that the historic Harry W. Bass, Jr. collection contained a solitary EF example, the true rarity of high grade specimens becomes apparent. Perfect for inclusion in a Civil War-focused collection or a quality specialist double eagle cabinet.
