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1882 $20 AU50 PCGS. The 1882 double eagle has the lowe 1882

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:60,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
	1882 $20 AU50 PCGS. The 1882 double eagle has the lowe 1882
<B>1882<$20> AU50 PCGS.</B></I> The 1882 double eagle has the lowest mintage recorded for any business strike regular issue double eagle. This includes such major rarities as the legendary 1870-CC, as well as the well known rarities from the New Orleans Mint, the 1854-O, 1855-O, and the 1856-O. It would also include the 1885 and 1886 Philadelphia issues, close cousins with mintages of 751 and 1,000 business strikes, respectively. Since both major grading services together have graded a total of 26 pieces of the 1882 in all grades--undoubtedly including possible multiple resubmissions of the same coin, and crossovers from one service to another--it seems probable that only 15 to 20 coins exist, possibly even less. The Bowers double eagle reference comments, "Rare in all grades. Impossibly rare in Mint State." With a total recorded mintage of 590 business strikes and 59 proofs, it is no surprise that the same die was apparently used for both. Breen's <I>Encyclopedia</B></I> describes it thusly: "Very low date, l. base of 1 minutely r. of l. edge of dentil; feathers behind neck lapped away, not touching scroll; both scrolls and 2 rightmost pale gules thin." The last digit 2 in the date appears to lean minutely to the right. A search through our permanent auction archives reveals that <I>we have offered an example of this piece in any grade only seven times in the past 13 years.</B></I> The present example has delightful straw-gold color, deepening to copper at the rims, with--not surprisingly--prooflike surfaces. A few light, grade-consistent abrasions are noted, and a couple of small grease stains on the obverse. Expect intense competition. Population: 2 in 50, 8 finer (6/06).