1871 Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-58 (PCGS). CAC.Blushes of reddish-rose iridescence enhance otherwise deep orange-gold surfaces on both sides of this undeniably original example. Highly lustrous for the assigned grade with plenty of bold to sharp striking detail also very much in evidence. The mintage for the circulation strike 1871 double eagle is limited for the era with just 80,120 pieces produced with a face value of $1,602,400. In fact, this is the lowest mintage for the Philadelphia Mint of any date after 1859 and prior to 1881. Many lightly worn examples of this date were exported in later banking transactions, only to return to America in the mid to late 20th century, though this repatriation brought back very few high-grade Uncirculated specimens. Some 700 to 1,000 or more circulated examples of this issue can be found today with EF and low end AU easily located in the marketplace. At the uppermost reaches of About Uncirculated, as here, the 1871 is just as rare as it is in Mint State. Indeed, this premium quality example would fit comfortably into a double eagle set comprised predominantly of Uncirculated coins.From the Fairmont Collection.
