1854-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU-53 (PCGS).Lovely medium gold patina with a tinge of pale honey-rose also evident in the protected areas as the coin dips into a light. This is a partially lustrous example, as befits the assigned grade, with ample evidence of a satin to slightly granular finish from the dies. Boldly, if not sharply defined over all design features, this is an originally preserved and aesthetically pleasing Choice AU of the historically significant 1854-S double eagle.<p>The San Francisco Mint commenced coinage operations in 1854, the facility delivering 141,468 double eagles that year with a total face value of $2,829,360. Much of the mintage saw heavy duty in regional commerce, and todays survivors are apt to be VF or so, with some EF and AU examples in the marketplace as well. This issue is scarce by early San Francisco Mint double eagle standards with only 350 to 500 coins extant in circulated grades along with 200 to 300 Mint State pieces. As a first year issue with an indelible link to Gold Rush California, the 1854-S has long been popular with collectors. Examples in the finer circulated and Mint State grades, as here, enjoy particularly strong demand.PCGS# 8913. NGC ID: 268U.
