LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Summer F.U.N. Sig. Coin Auction #442  / 

3323

1853 $20 Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 900

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:8,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1853 $20 Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 900
<B>1853 $20 Assay Office Twenty Dollar, 900 Thous. MS62 NGC.</B></I> K-18, R.2. The U.S. Assay Office of Gold fulfilled a crucial role in the Old West of the days before the San Francisco Mint began operations in 1854 (of which it was the predecessor), producing about 2.5 million "double eagles" of this variety from March-October 1853. Partners Joseph R. Curtis, Philo H. Perry, and Samuel H. Ward agreed to provide the structure and equipment for the new federal mint, in reality an enlargement of the existing structure that proved completely inadequate. The Assay Office became history on December 14, 1853. The first gold coinage in the new mint occurred on April 3, 1854, with the first double eagles of the regular Longacre design.<BR> The Donald Kagin standard reference comments that the K-18s were produced "... from some 30 different dies destroyed in the fire of 1906," with no estimate of how many die <I>marriages </B></I>were employed, or indeed if there were 15 obverses and 15 reverses, or one reverse and 29 obverses! Most of the K-18s are ".900 over .880" in the fineness legend, but the underdigits fade with die use and are sometimes indistinguishable. On this piece, there is an unrecognizable blob under the first digit, with the top of an 8 clear above the second digit, and nothing remaining under the last. Much more important, however, is the overall superlative condition of this piece, clearly among the few dozen finest from the original large emission. It is unusual to see cartwheel luster on a "Territorial" gold coin, but this piece is one such, with ample coruscating mint luster radiating from the greenish-gold surfaces. There are relatively few abrasions of mentionable size on either side, although a couple of rim irregularities on the obverse border are likely as struck. This piece is missing the top serif on the I in UNITED, and most of the bottom-left serif of the E in TWENTY. On the reverse, AY in ASSAY nearly join at the bottoms. Listed on page 356 of the 2008 <I>Guide Book. </B></I>Census: 51 in 62, 42 finer (6/07).<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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