10444

1853 $20 Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 884 Thous. M

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:37,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1853 $20 Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 884 Thous. M
<B>1853<$20> Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 884 Thous. MS62 PCGS.</B></I> K-17. High R.6. The surfaces are attractive for a double eagle of this period, with copious luster in the fields and minimal signs of handling. The rarity is understandable considering these were only struck for eight days, February 23, 1853 until March 1, 1853, with the vast majority later melted and recoined by the San Francisco Mint once it was up and running in 1854. On the die work, we note the 884 THOUS is engraved over 880 on the ribbon. We also note an engraving slip on the C of AMERICA, on the inside lower loop. Examination of the reverse finds little to distract from the magnificent die engraving of engine turned pattern which seems incongruous with the stark block lettering at the center. This particular coin is identifiable by a small neck nick on the eagle, a jagged scratch hidden in the right wing, and a nick under the F of OF on the obverse. The reverse is quite clean save for a few infinitesimal nicks of no importance. As to the raw numbers to survive, the combined NGC and PCGS Population reports show a total of three coins graded this high, with a scant two pieces seen finer of this important and elusive issue. Listed on page 299 of the 2005 <I>Guide Book. </B></I><BR><I>Ex: Stack's John Ford Collection (May 11, 2004), lot 366 and previously from Max Kaplan privately February 23, 1965. The Ford pedigree is noted on the PCGS insert.</B></I>