$20 Liberty - Collection Sold
gschwernk
Posts: 366 ✭✭✭✭✭
A number of forum members have asked me to document the formation of my $20 Liberty collection. The collection (link below) is currently #7 on the all-time list:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/alltimeset/247157
My first goal is to pass 90% completion and move into #6 place. The ultimate goal is to complete this series and move pass Eliasburg. I still need 15 coins of which the 6 below are very tough.
Survival est.
1882 38
1854-O 40
1856-O 40
1870-CC 41
1881 67
1886 68
These rarely come to auction and when they do they are very expensive. I will show the last coin I added and I will post additions and upgrades in the future.
The last coin I added was an 1859-O AU50. I purchased this coin in a recent Heritage Auction. I paid $38,400 against a PCGS guide price of $45,000.
According to Doug Winter:
“The 1859-O is the fourth-rarest Double Eagle from the New Orleans mint after the 1856-O, 1854-O and 1855-O. It is usually grouped with the 1860-O and they are similar in rarity but I have seen just a few more of the latter than the former.”
Comments
Cool!
Lib DEs are the dream set I would build if I was powerball rich. They are the king of coins IMHO. That is a great one.
Big fan of your Registry set too
61s Paquet
79o are dream coins of mine
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
You are putting together some impressive and important collections. Congratulations
Awsome set, love big gold
I like the 52-o.
Nice set!
Doug Winters and John Albanese are two premier experts on $20 LIbs.
Doug is a dealer/historian who know his grading whereas John Albanese is probably the #1 gold coin grader known.
Nice!
Quite the accomplishment!!!
Very nice gold coin,....and impressive set you have already built. Best of luck on future acquisitions. Cheers, RickO
Superb!
143 coin set, this is a huge undertaking.
This is a real accomplishment already. You are putting together some wonderful sets of collector grade coins. Bullion value alone is nothing to sneeze at.
Keep us updated on your progress.
The first coin auction I attended was Stack's 1971 ANA sale in Washington, D.C.. There was an 1870- CC $20 in the sale that they graded Extremely Fine and I believe it would slab as such today. The bidding increment was $500 up until it got to $10,000. A young dealer had his hand up and the auctioneer pointed to him and said $11,000. He protested that the increment should still be $500. There were no other bids and it was hammered down to him at $11,000. His protests were in vain. There were no buyers fee in those days.
I was a YN at the show but still knew of the great rarity of the 1870- CC. I was very impressed by the price realized. There was only one other lot in the entire sale that brought more. The 1838-O Half Dollar in Extremely Fine sold for $13,000.
There were about 50 lots of $3 Gold pieces. I thought that they were so cool and wanted to get one. A number of them sold for only $200-$300. I had a modest job at that time and had never spent that much on a coin. I never got up the nerve to step up to the plate.
That's a formidable set and you have made amazing progress. Good luck achieving your goals!
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
I assisted the owner of the AWA collection for 30 years as he upgraded and chose the best coins available. A great series to
collect - you need to be patient and well connected to get the coins as they become available. We sold the set to Dell Loy
Hansen in 2016 just as DLH was beginning to work on his collection. Good luck to you!
That's a fantastic set and a hell of a quest. I hope the right coins find you at the right time.
NEW COIN – 1891-CC – XF40
NOW 90.2% Complete – Still Need 14
I purchased this coin at a recent Great Collections Auction. I paid $26,165. The current PCGS guide price is $19,000. This coin achieves my first goal of 90% completion.
According to David Akers:
“In terms of population rarity, i.e. the total number of specimens known, the 1891-CC is the third rarest Carson City Mint Double Eagle after the 1870-CC and 1871-CC. It is more rare than the 1878-CC or 1879-CC except in high grade, and it is much rarer than the 1885-CC in any condition. The majority of 1891-CC Double Eagles are EF or AU and all of then are semi-prooflike or prooflike. In average uncirculated condition (MS-60), the 1891-CC is very rare and relatively few are known. There are several choice uncs in existence but I have never personally seen a gem specimen.”
Love the look of old crusty cc gold. Was able to hold one in my hands at a coin show a few weeks ago
NEW COIN – 1860-O : AU53
NOW 90.91% Complete – Still Need 13
I purchased this coin from DLRC. I paid $60,250. The current PCGS guide price is $65,000.
According to Doug Winter:
“The 1860-O is similar to the 1859-O in terms of its overall and high grade rarity. As with its counterpart, the 1860-O is a rare date in all grades and it has become next to impossible to find a choice, original example in just about any grade.
RARITY:
TOTAL KNOWN: 85-95
BY GRADE:
Very Fine: 31-34
Extremely Fine: 30-33
About Uncirculated: 22-27
Uncirculated: 2”
According to David Akers:
“All of the Double Eagles from the New Orleans Mint are scarce or rare, especially in high grade (AU or better), and the 1860-O is no exception; in fact, it is the third rarest of the 13 issues after the 1856-O and 1854-O. It is just slightly more rare than the 1855-O and 1859-O. The only specimen ever catalogued as uncirculated was the Atwater coin in 1946 (PCGS CoinFacts editor's note: After David Akers' book was written, the Eliasberg coin was catalogued and sold as uncirculated.) Not having seen that particular coin, I cannot state with certainly whether or not is was truly uncirculated. However, the famous Eliasberg Collection contains an unc and it may well be unique. I have also seen one AU-55 and a few others that graded AU-50. Still, VF and EF are the grades one is most likely to be able to find of this date and the 1860-O is so rare that it is not often available even in lower grades. According to rarity based on both average grade and frequency of appearance, the 1860-O ranks in the top 10% of the entire Double Eagle series. All of the specimens I have seen were partially or fully prooflike and the first four stars on the left obverse are always rather flat.”
very impressive.
Very nice and congrats!
I collected and sold these a lot around 20 years ago. I had a couple 1868 $20s in AU55 two 1866 $20s in MS60 and some other tougher dates, I prefer the design of the type II issues especially compared to the type III. The 1881 and 1882 P mint issues show up periodically. Good luck in filling those gaps you mentioned.
What would be interesting would be an historical review of how the coins fit into the gold rushes and their significance in American history with the hard money movements of the 1800s and those who fought them such as we see in Grant's failure to pass "the inflation bill" of 1873. I'm not sure why they redesigned the type I to issue the type II.
My favorite is also type 2 issues. I am currently working on up grading some of these issues. I am particularly fond of the CC type 2 coins.
You have to be a big boy to play in that sandbox. You are also going to have to accept some lower grade pieces with Mint State largely off the table beyond a limited number of date and mint combinations. I won't try it.
I completed the the Classic Head $2.40 and $5,00 sets in AU or better, and that was enough for me. My $2.50 Classic set is second behind Hanson on the PCGS registry, and I won't be catching him.
Congratulations on reaching 90% complete! That is a significant accomplishment in $20 Liberty series.
Looking at your $20 Basic Set in the Registry, of the 13 coins remaining, the 1864 and 1892 will be the easiest slots to fill. The remainder will be more challenging.
You might also consider competing in the Liberty Head $20 Gold Registry set with major varieties. This set only has another 6 coins including the 1873 open 3 and close 3, the 1854 large and small dates, the 1853/2 and Paquet coins. Although if you compete in that set, it is nearly impossible to complete with the 1861 Philly Paquet included in the set.
I have purchased a 1864 but have not received it yet. The reason I am not competing in the major variety set is because the 1861 P Paquet makes completion basically impossible for me.
It's hard to find an 1864 p mint $20 coins with eye appeal. The tougher dates, 1862 and 1863 come nice, I've owned both. 1861 and 1865 are common and can be found with nice eye appeal. P mints were my preference.
Super looking coin!
Type 1 double eagles dated 1862-1864 minted in Philadelphia (along with the 1859) are the rarest and most challenging coins to find with good eye appeal from that mint. My experience has been different from @logger7 in that the 1862 and 1863 are more difficult to locate with original surfaces and lacking large distracting hits and marks. It took me more than 10 years to locate an 1862 $20 that I thought was original and properly graded. I was happy to find an attractive example from the Fairmont hoard and of course there was a large premium to acquire it. I agree that the 1861 and 1865 can be found with nice eye appeal without too much effort.
I was only thinking in comparison of 1864 to 1862 and 1863 issues I've seen. I had the Eagle collection 1862 and another one that was NGC AU55 not original. The only 1864 I owned was doggy.
UPGRADE 1865S MS63 replaces XF45
NOW 90.91% Complete – Still Need 13
GPA 53.60 Set Rating 46.05
This coin would have been rare before the shipwrecks.
Nice upgrade!
UPGRADE 1899 MS64+ replaces MS61
NOW 90.91% Complete – Still Need 13
Current All-Time Finest Rank #7 GPA 53.61 Set Rating 46.06
#6 Scott S GPA 53.16 Set Rating 48.03
You’re on fire. Well done!
Nice looking XF45 1852 0 in an NGC holder asking for an offer. Very nice looking coin. I have nothing to do with the auction.
Jim
Edited to add: Sorry but I swore your set showed the 1852 O absent. My bad.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/313493320058?hash=item48fda8717a:g:LiQAAOSw07Jgd1qd
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
That's a tremendous set!
It spans a very long period of time with some really TOUGH dates and mint marks!
Congrats on being 90% complete!
A HUGE accomplishment!!
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
That's really an amazing set you are working on. I enjoy the updates.
UPGRADE 1866-S AU55 replaces VF 25
NOW 90.91% Complete – Still Need 13
Current All-Time Finest Rank #7 GPA 53.874 Set Rating 46.285
#6 Scott S GPA 53.16 Set Rating 48.03
According to David Ackers:
"Although not as rare as the 1866-S No Motto, the 1866-S Motto still ranks as one of the rarest S-Mint issues, on a par overall with the 1860-S, 1861-S, 1862-S, 1864-S, 1867-S and 1868-S. With respect to condition rarity, the 1866-S Motto is in the top 10% of the entire Double Eagle series. Compared to all 204 $20 issues and not just those from the San Francisco Mint, the 1866-S Motto still fares well in terms of overall rarity ranking in the top fifth of the series. Almost all known examples of this date are in the VF and EF grades and a full AU is definitely rare. I have seen two uncirculated examples, the finest being the coin from the Harry Bass collection."
I spend $500-$1000 on a coin and my wife has a cow.
Lafayette Grading Set
Very nice. Congrats on the undertaking and achievement.
NEW COIN – 1864 : AU55
NOW 91.61% Complete – Still Need 12
Current All-Time Finest Rank #7 GPA 53.89 Set Rating 46.77
#6 Scott S GPA 53.16 Set Rating 48.03
I purchased this coin at most recent Heritage auction. I paid $12,000. The current PCGS guide price is $12,000.
According to Doug Winter:
"The 1864 is not as scarce as the 1862 or 1863, but it is a tough and popular Civil War date. Until the discovery of 17 Uncirculated examples in the S.S. Republic (see below), this date was almost impossible to find in higher grades.
RARITY:
TOTAL KNOWN: 600-700
BY GRADE:
Very Fine: 100-150
Extremely Fine: 200-235
About Uncirculated: 275-280
Uncirculated: 25-35"
NEW COIN – 1855O : AU55
NOW 92.31% Complete – Still Need 11
Current All-Time Finest Rank #7 GPA 53.91 Set Rating 47.34
#6 Scott S GPA 53.16 Set Rating 48.03
I purchased this coin at most recent Heritage auction. I paid $55,200. The current PCGS guide price is $75,000.
According to Doug Winter:
"When analyzing the rarity of New Orleans double eagles, the 1854-O and the 1856-O are obviously in a class of their own. In the next tier are issues such as the 1855-O, 1859-O, and 1860-O. I regard the 1855-O as the rarest of these three, especially in About Uncirculated and higher.
RARITY:
TOTAL KNOWN: 80-90
BY GRADE:
Very Fine: 43-45
Extremely Fine: 21-27
About Uncirculated: 12-16
Uncirculated: 1-2"
You are building an awesome set in the deep end of the pool.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163
Good show Man!
100% Positive BST transactions
nice set. good job on the journey, thanks for sharing.
20 years ago the super rarities in the O mints were obtainable, those are obviously getting more expensive and harder to find. And good luck finding the higher grades that are cac approved. Although I saw some of those much better O mints from the 1850s popping up on sales lists, I settled for the 51, 52, and 53. I even had one upgrade from PCGS 50 to 58 at NGC. Also had a 61-O in and older holder VF35 upgrade to XF40.
I will be happy to get an XF40 1854O and 1856O. I am hoping for AU on the 1861O and 1879O. BTW check out the AWA - Hanson set. It contains all the top quailty O's.
Incredible set! Good luck with completing this bear of a set.
LIBERTY HEAD $20 GOLD TYPE 2 BASIC SET, CIRCULATION STRIKES (1866-1876)
NOW 96.55% Complete – Still Need 1870CC
Current All-Time Finest Rank #5 GPA 52.3 Set Rating 47.79
#4 Eliasburg 100% complete GPA 49.26 Set Rating 49.26
In additon to the main $20 Liberty Set, I am working on a number of the sub sets. The Type 2 is my favorite and I am interested in upgrading this set and will post future upgrades.
My wife freaks out when I'm heading to the gun range and sees all those COWS at the farm just before Wildlife Action.
Dang if she doesn't.
Gold Gold Gold you fellows are true lovers of numismatics.
PocketPiececommems; you must show Her the error of her ways. LOL
UPGRADE 1894 MS63 CAC replaces MS61
NOW 92.31% Complete – Still Need 11
Current All-Time Finest Rank #7 GPA 53.92 Set Rating 47.35
#6 Scott S GPA 53.16 Set Rating 48.03
I am trying to upgrade with CAC coins when possible.