1873-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. Close 3. MS-60 (PCGS).This highly lustrous, otherwise frosty example reveals semi-prooflike tendencies in the fields as the coin dips into a light. Sharply defined in and around the centers with vivid rose-gold patina throughout. The mintage of this variety comprised the larger part of 1,040,060 pieces for the 1873-S double eagle. These coins circulated extensively in commerce on the West Coast and, after having seen some use, were also used in the export trade (this at a time when gold coins did not circulate in the East or Midwest, a period that extended until December 1878). It seems that many 1873-S double eagles were exported to South America, probably around the turn of the 20th century. Information concerning specific overseas hoards is very difficult to find as the banks and governments involved prefer secrecy.We estimate that 350 to 450 Mint State examples survive for the 1873-S Close 3. Most are in the lowest grades, MS-60 or MS-61. Virtually all are coins repatriated after World War Two. Before the 1960s, Mint State 1873-S double eagles were very rare in numismatic hands. Indeed, it was not until the 1990s that they were seen with some frequency, although in Uncirculated condition this issue remains scarce when viewed in the wider context of the Type III Liberty Head double eagle series.From the Fairmont Collection.
