1887 Liberty Head Double Eagle. JD-1, the only known dies. Rarity-5+. Proof-65 Deep Cameo (PCGS). CAC. As elegant as it is rare, this awe-inspiring Proof Liberty Head double eagle will please even the most discerning gold enthusiasts. Its surfaces are deeply cameoed in finish with stark contrast between frosty motifs and mirrored fields. Fully struck, even over the most intricate design elements, both sides are further enhanced by gorgeous medium gold color with tinges of orange. There are no blemishes of note, the in hand appearance temptingly close to pristine.<p>Among the rarest Type III Proofs ever released to collectors, this design was modified from the Type II double eagles by the then-aging (and soon to expire), Chief Engraver William Barber. Barber would be replaced in the position by his son, Charles E. Barber, in 1879. The Liberty head on the Type III is more upright and placed squarely in the center of the design. Barber then adjusted the reverse by including the denomination in its entirety, TWENTY DOLLARS, along with many other subtle changes to the central motifs. A marvelous improvement, many would say, and splendidly displayed for all to admire in this exceptional Deep Cameo specimen graded by PCGS.<p>The coin presently offered comes from the end of a run of extraordinarily rare Proof-only or virtually Proof-only Philadelphia Mint double eagle issues struck in the decade of the 1880s. There were only 121 Proof double eagles made in 1887, with none struck for use in circulation. In all grades, this Proof-only date is considered an extreme rarity, the total extant population on the order of just 30 to 40 coins (per John W. Dannreuther, 2018). In finer grades, as here, the desirability of this issue stems from both absolute and condition rarity. PCGS# 99103. NGC ID: 26E8. PCGS Population: 1; 3 finer in this category (Proof-66 Deep Cameo finest).<p>CAC Population: 2; 0. From the Mocatta Collection.
