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 1855-S Double
Eagle - 1875 Double Ealge - 1893 Double Eagle
A three coin type set of
double eagles consists of Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 coins.
Many collectors and investors would like to own more than
a single double eagle, and they know that they will not
complete a full set. Putting together a type set is the
next best option. There are only three major design types
in the Liberty double eagle series, which makes it accessible
for most people who have an interest in acquiring these
coins. One of the best ways to get the most value would
be to choose special or rare coins as examples of the types.
Below are two sets, a more modest one and one made up of
rare dates.
The Liberty Head or Coronet
Double eagle was designed by James B. Longacre. He designed
the pattern for the twenty dollar double eagle in 1849.
It was produced because of the huge amount of gold that
came into the Mint from California. With the discovery of
gold at Sutter’s Mill in January 1848, the California
gold rush began. It led to an influx of miners and others
into the area. The vast quantity of gold produced led to
a need for a standard form of exchange. The double eagle
was the government’s response. They also felt that
the new denomination would be useful for large commercial
transactions and that it would facilitate foreign trade.
Longacre’s design
for the double eagle 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.
1855-S
Double Eagle - The Type 1 Double
Eagle. This Western branch mint,
near-Mint State 1855-S double eagle has subdued mint
luster remaining within its devices. The coin is well
struck with full details on the centers of the stars
and the design elements of the reverse, especially
the eagle. The surfaces are original and clean for
the grade with no distractions that are individually
worthy of description. The CAC sicker indicates that
the coin is of premium quality and fully deserves
the assigned grade.
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 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 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….” Although placed on
the two cent coin in 1864, the Coinage Act of 1865
created the authority to add the motto IN GOD WE TRUST
to 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 eagle and double eagle of Augusts
Saint-Gaudens that the motto was briefly omitted in
1907 and 1908 because of President Theodore Roosevelt’s
objection to it.
1875
Double Eagle - Type 2 Double Eagle.
This Mint State1875 Double Eagle has
completely original surfaces and a strong strike. In
addition to a few scattered abrasion marks, the surfaces
show a couple of copper spots on both sides. The CAC
sticker indicates that the coin is of premium quality
and fully merits the grade assigned. Full details are
seen in the centers of the stars and the design details
of the reverse.
1893
Double Eagle - Type 3 Double Eagle.
The design change that brought about the Type 3 double
eagle was the denomination. It went from TWENTY D.
to TWENTY DOLLARS. Like the addition of the motto
to the reverse of the previous double eagle, it did
not cause any major change in the rest of the coin’s
design. William Barber who by then was the Engraver
following Longacre’s death in 1869 made the
modification. Later, his son Charles further modified
the reverse of the double eagle by smoothing the back
of the eagle’s neck. Many of the twentieth century
double eagle coins have the new reverse, but some
were made from left over hubs and have the 1899 reverse.
This Western branch mint, Type 3,
Mint State 1893-S Double Eagle is bright and satiny.
The coin has shades of light rose-gold on its devices,
which attests to its originality. The surfaces show
some light abrasions, in keeping with the grade. The
PCGS “plus” indicates that the coin has
“good eye appeal for the grade.” The CAC
designation means that the coin is a premium quality
piece and fully merits the grade assigned. The strike
is bold with full details on the centers of the stars,
Liberty‘s hair, and the design elements of the
reverse especially the eagle.
