1882-S Liberty Head Double Eagle. MS-62 (PCGS). An attractively original and nicely example of this popular type issue among 1880s San Francisco Mint double eagle issues. Vivid color throughout, the surfaces also possess appealing mint luster and a razor sharp strike. The San Francisco Mint coined 1,125,000 double eagles in 1882, attesting to the fact that the demand for gold coins on the West Coast continued to be robust. Large numbers entered into the channels of commerce where they circulated until they were well worn; others were used in overseas trade. Back in 1982 David W. Akers regarded the true Uncirculated examples of the issue as "definitely scarce" and accounted for auction appearances of Mint State examples in scarcely more than 5% of the major auction sales he examined in his research. By 2004, when Q. David Bowers wrote his <em>Guide Book of Double Eagles</em>, the situation had changed, and Mint State examples were estimated to be in the hundreds rather than dozens. Current high-end estimates put the Uncirculated population well in excess of 1,000 pieces, and MS-60 examples command prices close to the "type" level. Above the level represented here, however, the 1882-S is anything but a "type" coin; in fact, it is a significant condition rarity that is seldom encountered in todays market. Given the rarity of Choice examples, the bidding opportunity represented by our offering of this PQ MS-62 from the Fairmont Collection should not be overlooked. From the Fairmont Collection-Hendricks Set.
