1899 Liberty Head Double Eagle. MS-65+ (PCGS). CAC.This is a breathtakingly beautiful Gem 1899 double eagle whose expertly preserved surfaces border on pristine. Bathed in a bold blend of rose-gold patina and frosty mint luster, both sides are silky smooth in texture. Fully struck, as well, and sure to please even the most discerning collector. The double eagle presses in Philadelphia turned out 1,669,300 circulation strikes in 1899, nearly 1.5 million more than in the previous year. Face value amounted to $33,386,000. Much of the mintage was used in overseas business and banking transactions. By this time paper money was used domestically in preference to gold coins except in certain areas of the West. With 25,000 to 45,000 or more Uncirculated examples available to todays collectors the 1899 is obviously a plentiful issue, especially in the MS-60 to MS-63 grade range. Much of the known Mint State population has returned to the United States in the past several decades. As an upper end Gem, the coin offered here ranks among the finest certified and is undeniably rare from a condition standpoint.From the Fairmont Collection.
