1886 Liberty Head Double Eagle. AU Details--Altered Surfaces (PCGS). A pleasing example of this formidable rarity among Liberty Head double eagles. The surfaces are well composed and attractive, despite somewhat muted luster. Evenly toned in rich rose-gold shades with considerable reflectivity in the fields. The detail is exceptionally sharp for the issue and the complexion is without individually distracting abrasions. A significant opportunity for specialists. <p><p>One of the rarest dates of the series with a tiny mintage of 1,000 pieces for circulation, of which perhaps 40 to 60 survive today, most in much lower grades. A couple of survivors are in mint state, but precious few. The Philadelphia Mint issued double eagles in sparse quantities in the 1880s, while the San Francisco Mint struck quite a number in most of these years. Survival rates are dismal for these with perhaps 4 to 6 percent surviving to today, most of course melted during the change of government policy away from a gold backed currency in 1933 where all the gold coins were gathered up and melted into gold bars that are stored in Fort Knox under the consulship of President Franklin Roosevelt.
