This is the best non-1857 Lib $20 I've ever seen and it's in a rattler...

amazing coin

For those wondering, closing price was $60, 375. https://www.pcgs.com/auctionprices/item/1897-s-20/9032/-781921026645393931

yes, this would have beena fun GTG, i would have gone 66 or 66+.
There is dimple area and neck chatter that I see, so who knows.

@Baylor8670 said:

@pcgsregistrycollector said:
For those wondering, closing price was $60, 375. https://www.pcgs.com/auctionprices/item/1897-s-20/9032/-781921026645393931

Are you sure that's the right coin? No cert # on the PCGS auction page. There is another 67 out there.

U mean no trueview?

@Copperindian said:

@MFeld said:

@Copperindian said:
CAC worthy? I would answer YES!

I’d answer “I’d need to see it in hand to make a determination. And I wonder if that’s a scratch at stars 11 and 12?”

If that’s a scratch, I doubt it would be graded 67. Stranger things have happened, though. The OP can’t afford us an in hand look, so it’s “worthy”; doesn’t mean it will get it.

I think it might be a scratch, as it looks to traverse part of star 12, something which a die crack wouldn’t typically do. So in the absence of that in hand inspection, I say not CAC worthy.

@RedRocket said:

@MFeld said:

@Copperindian said:

@MFeld said:

@Copperindian said:
CAC worthy? I would answer YES!

I’d answer “I’d need to see it in hand to make a determination. And I wonder if that’s a scratch at stars 11 and 12?”

If that’s a scratch, I doubt it would be graded 67. Stranger things have happened, though. The OP can’t afford us an in hand look, so it’s “worthy”; doesn’t mean it will get it.

I think it might be a scratch, as it looks to traverse part of star 12, something which a die crack wouldn’t typically do. So in the absence of that in hand inspection, I say not CAC worthy.

No way that's a scratch on the coin.
Probably on the holder.

That combination of “No way” and “Probably” don’t necessarily lead to the same conclusion.

Amazing coin! One of my friends plate matched this coin to the Eliasberg sale!

I was pretty sure I saw that exact coin somewhere else online...

Here it is: https://reddit.com/r/coins/comments/1sltd01/so_my_father_in_law_was_a_collector/

https://www.reddit.com/r/coins/comments/1sltd01/so_my_father_in_law_was_a_collector/

Everybody, here is a reddit thread on the same coin. Recent thread as well.

Ay, Chihuahua, what a coin!

According to Fuljenz' 1877-1907 Double Eagle book.... it's a relatively common date, but not in this condition. 5-figures once you get to MS-65. Among the best produced DEs from the SanFran Mint. But hard to find a coin which isn't bagmarked, esp. in the obverse fields.

There are 2 MS-67s (at time of publication) and one was obtained directly from the SanFran Mint by John Clapp Sr. and sold in 1982 as part of the Eliasberg Collection.

@Baylor8670 said:
This coin did sticker and joins a very exclusive club of MS67 non-shipwreck Lib $20s with a green bean.

Budget Ed had it right, on Redit r/coins

@Luxor said:
I could swear I saw and held that coin in my hand at an ANA show many years back. And I would also swear that same dealer also had the finest graded for the entire series at the time (MS69?) $5.00 Lib in the same case which was so incredible it almost looked fake.

I wonder if that could have been the 1999 Chicago ANA where I saw Sotheby's displayed some coins up for a Nov 1999 sale including selling as a set the 1902-S gold from the 1982 Eliasberg auction. The 1902-S $20 was PCGS-67 (now 67+) ; the $10 as 68 (now 68+) and the $5 was MS-69. There was also another Ex-Eliasberg 1900-S $5 in PCGS-69 (now CAC).

Probably other coins displayed though two that stood out in my mind were the 1866 Seated $ PCGS-66 and an 1807 Capped Bust $5 gold in 67 later in Pogue Collection as 67+.

The 1902 coins do not show as CAC. Not sure if they have ever been submitted.

Looks like there are currently only two other CAC 67's of Type 3 $20's, an 1892 and 1898-S.
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PCGS has most prices realized from the 1999 sale, though not for the 1902-S set (brought $137,500) as they list only single coin lots.

Sotheby's: Moores Collection (Nov-1999)

https://pcgs.com/auctionprices/auctionsaledetails/sothebys/moores-collection/firmid/10016/saleid/2152816819461481230

Yes, it is now confirmed as the Eliasberg coin.

By the "maybe one inconclusive item" mentioned in my April 20 post above, I was referring to the possible angled mark below Liberty's chin matching the 1982 Eliasberg catalog photos which are also posted above by tradedollarnut in his April 16 post.

It is now conclusive in the new photos at Heritage along with the dot near rim to the left of 1 in date and would have been to those who saw it in person. Those were not as obvious in the above rattler slab photos.

Have found Bowers 1970's and 1980's photos can be difficult to interpret completely at times. Some apparent specks or toning sometimes turn out to be a flaw on the photo not really there or a misleading appearance of a mark, tics, tiny planchet flaws, toning or surface texture etc, not visible the same way at other lighting angles.

The 1982 dark spot by the nose might not have existed on the coin. A couple of other apparent toning areas may be examples of the above mentioned photo angle issues. The spot by the date is a real identifier not as visible in the original post. Also, the slightly weaker stars in 1982 are more clear at Heritage than the OP.

The potential scratch at stars 11 and 12 discussed earlier looks to be on the holder.
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Now viewable in a Heritage Auction Preview for the September ANA auction and noted as Ex-Eliasberg. This link will become invalid once the auction goes live.

https://coins.ha.com/itm/liberty-double-eagles/1897-s-20-ms67-pcgs-cac-pcgs-9032-/p/1396-75001.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

@TomB said:
The OP in the reddit thread wrote the following-

"All the coins in the collection will be regraded before auction and I hope we get lucky like the instructor but we are just happy we don’t have to stress about college tuitions."

So, I wonder if it is still in a rattler and wonder if it went to CAC before or after the regrade.

See the link to Heritage in my post just before yours.

It is still in the rattler and is CAC green. I think that counts as their regrade for that one.

A really nice PQ coin with super luster.

Face melter of a coin!