1883-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. MS-62 (PCGS). CAC.Gorgeous light orange patina blankets both sides and provides strong visual appeal. Lustrous, sharply struck and sure to please the discerning gold collector. There was a large production of 1,189,000 double eagles at the San Francisco Mint in 1883. Many pieces circulated extensively, others were shipped overseas in international trade, and still others were probably held in reserve for the redemption of Gold Certificates. David W. Akers, in his 1982 treatise on double eagles, reported that he found 46 auction appearances of Uncirculated examples in a survey of more than 400 major sales. This of course was in the olden days before large-scale importation. Q. David Bowers in his 2004 Guide Book of Double Eagles estimated the surviving Mint State population at more than 1,000 pieces, indicating that many additional examples had come to light during the intervening years. This lovely MS-62 is finer than many that we have handled in recent sales and is sure to see spirited bidding.
