1850
Double Eagle - 1866-S Double Eagle: Set of Two Double Eagles
The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of First and
Last Double Eagles, Type 1 1850 and 1866-S
The first regular issue
of the double eagle was 1850. The coin was designed by James
Barton Longacre. It was made because of the large amount
of gold that was being coined as the result of the California
Gold Rush. The denomination proved to be very popular for
export. It was useful in large commercial transactions and
for international trade. In 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST
was added to the oval of stars on the reverse, creating
Type 2. In 1877 the denomination was changed from TWENTY
D. to TWENTY DOLLARS, creating Type 3.
Longacre’s design
shows a Liberty head facing left, wearing coronet inscribed
LIBERTY. Her hair is tightly tied in the back with two loose
curls hanging down her neck to the end of the truncation.
She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars with the
date below. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the
coin. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with elaborate
ribbons on both sides of the shield extending from the top
corner down to the eagle’s tail feathers. The ribbons
are inscribed, on the left E PLURIBUS and UNUM on the right.
The ribbons were added to the design to symbolize the denomination
since this was the first twenty dollar coin. There is an
oval of thirteen stars above the eagle’s head and
an arc of rays from wing tip to wing tip behind the upper
half of the oval. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc
above the eagle, and the denomination TWENTY D. is below.
The mintmark is between the tail feathers and the N of TWENTY.
1850
Double Eagle - The first year of
issue had a mintage of over one million; it was saved
and is one of the more available dates of the type.
Most are seen in VF to AU grades.
This lightly circulated, Type 1 1850
double eagle has a sharp strike and remaining mint
luster in the protected areas on both sides. The stars’
centers, the hair details and the reverse motifs are
complete for the grade. The muted luster glows like
embers from a fire.
1866-S
Double Eagle - The last year of the
Type 1 double eagles is 1866. It was supposed to be
1865; however, the shipment of new reverse dies never
reached the San Francisco Mint on time so the 1866-S
was first issued as a Type 1, No Motto piece.
This historic, Western branch mint
1866 No Motto double eagle retains subdued mint luster
within its devices. The strike is above average with
full details on the centers of most of the obverse
stars and the design details of the reverse, especially
the eagle. While the coin shows a bit of wear on the
high points and abrasion marks, the surfaces are completely
original. No individual abrasion marks are particularly
significant to merit description.
