1857 Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-55 (PCGS). CAC.Pleasingly original surfaces are overlaid in a blend of deep orange and lighter honey-gold patina. Lustrous and uncommonly smooth Choice AU quality with a bold to sharp strike over virtually all design elements. The Philadelphia Mint produced slightly more double eagles in 1857 than it did the previous year, although this issues mintage of 439,375 circulation strikes is still modest for the era. Face value for the issue amounted to $8,787,500. While the S.S. Central America treasure made thousands of Mint State San Francisco Mint double eagles from 1857 available to todays advanced collectors, the Philadelphia Mint coins of this date remain scarce. Somewhat available in lower circulated grades, nonetheless, the 1857 becomes increasingly more challenging to locate the closer one comes to the Mint State threshold.
