LIBERTY HEAD
(WITH MOTTO ON REVERSE) TWENTY DOLLARS
TYPE II DOUBLE EAGLE (1866-1876)
"TWENTY
D." ON REVERSE (1866-1876)
Longacre’s Liberty
Head Type 2 Double Eagle (1866-1876): The motto IN GOD
WE TRUST was added to the original Double Eagle by enlarging
the oval of stars above the eagle’s head and placing
the motto in it. This modification did not require a major
alteration of the Double Eagle design as was the case with
adding the motto to the lower denominations. It was made
at the behest of Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of Treasury
and Congress because of pressure brought about by the Reverend
M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.
Despite this new coinage
act, 120,000 1866 San Francisco double eagle coins were
minted without the new motto. Obviously older Double Eagle
dies were in use in the branch mint and were used for this
date. All branch mint Double
Eagle dies were made in Philadelphia, and it is reasonable
to assume that the trip was too long for the new dies to
reach San Francisco on time.
Originally all of the United
States coinage was secular. However, in the first sixty
or so years of the United States’ existence, religious
life became more important to the populace. By 1860, twenty-three
percent of the population belonged to a church or had some
kind of religious affiliation. Groups such as the National
Reform Association wanted to amend the Constitution to acknowledge
the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of all power and authority
in government. The amendment was unsuccessful; however,
the sentiment to bring religion into government remained
strong. President Abraham Lincoln chose James Pollock to
be the Mint Director in 1861. He served until 1867. Pollock
was in favor of the idea that the nation depended on the
will of God. Reverend Watkinson was the first person who
actually addressed this “need.” He believed
that adding the name of God to our coinage would, “…relieve
us from the ignominy of heathenism…[and] place us
openly under the divine protection….” The Coinage
Act of 1865 created the authority to place the motto on
all coins. In 1866 it was placed on the half eagle, the
eagle and the double eagle as well as on silver coinage
and the shield nickel. It wasn’t until the newly designed
Double Eagle of Augusts Saint-Gaudens
that the motto was briefly omitted in 1907 because of President
Theodore Roosevelt’s objection to it.
The business strike mintage
of the Type 2 Double
Eagle was 16,160,758. The year with the largest mintage
was 1873 with 1,709,825, although there were two varieties
that year an open and closed 3. The lowest mintage was the
1873-CC with 22,410.
Most
often seen VF to XF; rare in Mint State; the finest
certified is a single MS64 example. Approximately 15
proofs are known. 1866
With Motto $20 PCGS MS61
Available
in grades up to MS61; the finest certified are 3 in
MS63. Also seen with prooflike surfaces. Approximately
11 proofs are known. 1867
$20 WM NGC MS62
Scarce
in all grades; most often seen in VF to XF condition;
the finest certified is a single MS63 example. Also
seen with prooflike surfaces. Approximately 11 proofs
are known.
Available in XF to AU grades often with heavy bag marks;
rare in Mint State; the finest certified is a single
MS65 example. Approximately 11 proofs are known. 1869
$20 WM NGC AU58
Low
mintage; key to the series; approximately 40 are known
to exist in all grades; the finest certified is a single
AU58 example; this coin is included in 100 Greatest
U.S. Coins.
Scarce
in all grades; usually seen in VF to XF condition, often
with heavy abrasion marks; the finest circulated are
4 in MS64. Approximately 10 proofs are known.
Usually
seen in VF to XF condition; rare in Mint State; the
finest certified are 2 in MS64; also seen with prooflike
surfaces. Approximately 10 proofs are known.
Common
in grades up to AU58; scarce in lower Mint State grades;
rare above MS61; the finest certified is a single MS64
example; also seen with prooflike surfaces.
Found
with Open and Closed 3's in the date. The Closed 3 in
the rarer variety by far; the Closed 3 is available
in grades up to AU58; it is rare in Mint State; the
finest certified are 10 in MS62. Approximately 11 proofs
are known. The Open 3 is a common date and twenty times
more plentiful than the Closed 3 variety. The finest
certified Closed 3 are 2 in MS65; also seen with prooflike
surfaces.
Found
with Open and Closed 3s in the date. The Closed 3 is
more common. It is common in grades up to MS61; rare
in higher Mint State grades; the finest certified are
3 in MS63. The Open 3 is available in grades up to AU58;
it is scarce in lower Mint State grades; the finest
certified are 7 in MS62.
Common
in grades up to MS62; rare in higher Mint State grades;
the finest certified is a single MS66 example; also
seen with prooflike surfaces. Approximately 10 proofs
are known.
Usually
seen in VF to AU grades; available in grades up to MS62;
the finest certified is a single MS64+ example; also
seen with prooflike surfaces. Approximately 16 or 17
proofs are known.
