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1854-O $20 AU50 PCGS. The New Orleans Mint began produ

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:57.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1854-O $20 AU50 PCGS. The New Orleans Mint began produ
<B>1854-O<$20> AU50 PCGS.</B></I> The New Orleans Mint began producing double eagles right from the start, with 141,000 coins struck in 1850. This mintage, and even higher mintages in 1851 and 1852 were a direct result of the California gold rush. Except for a few privately issued gold coins produced in California, the only options for coinage were the Philadelphia and New Orleans Mints. It is doubtful that much, if any, gold was transported to Charlotte or Dahlonega, as those Mints were primarily producing gold coins from locally mined metal.<BR> Meanwhile, the United States Assay Office became a larger producer of gold coins in San Francisco throughout 1851 and 1852, and by 1853 became the minter of choice, and in 1854 the United States Branch Mint in San Francisco opened, providing a further coinage alternative, and a better choice for miners. By 1854, essentially all gold mined in California was minted in California, and little of the precious metal found its way to New Orleans. In 1854, just 3,250 double eagles were minted in Louisiana, making this the second rarest O-Mint double eagle behind the 1856-O. Douglas Winter and Adam Crum discussed this issue: "The 1854-O is, along with the 1856-O, one of the two rarest collectible Type I double eagles. Examples are usually sold only at auctions of major 'name' collections. Ownership of an attractive 1854-O is considered a hallmark of a truly great collection of double eagles."<BR> Although the mintage of this date was 1,000 coins greater than the 1856-O rarity, the two issues are of about equal availability today. Dave Bowers, in <I>A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins,</B></I> estimates a survival of 18 to 22 circulated examples of this date, and no Mint State pieces. For the 1856-O, he estimates 16 to 20 circulated coins and two Mint State pieces, for the very same total of 18 to 22 coins. Winter and Crum consider the 1856