1861 $20 (1861 Double Eagle) NGC AU58 - Aside from mintmarks and the exceedingly rare Paquet Reverse coins of 1861, the Civil War double eagles, all Type 1s, had a uniform appearance. Designed by James B. Longacre, the obverse shows a portrait of Liberty in profile facing left and looking slightly upward. Her hair is tied in the back and two large curls flow down her neck. She wears a LIBERTY inscribed coronet and is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars. The date is below the truncation. Dentils are around the peripheries of both sides, and the edge is reeded. Longacre modified the Great Seal of the United States for the coins reverse. The eagle is shown with its head facing left holding the end of an elaborate double scroll in its beak. On the left the scroll is inscribed E PLURIBUS with UNUM on the right. The double scroll was used to represent the new denomination. On the eagles breast is a Union shield that shows six red and seven white stripes. In its talons it holds the arrows and olive branch, symbols of preparedness and peace. Above the eagle is an oval of thirteen stars with rays of different lengths behind the upper stars from wingtip to wingtip. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is inscribed around the top of the coin, and the denomination, TWENTY D. is below.

James Barton Longacre was born in Pennsylvania in 1794. He became an apprentice to a bookseller and then a banknote engraver in Philadelphia. In 1819 he worked on his own as an engraver and made metal plates for bank notes and book illustrations. His works included one on stage personalities and another on the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In 1830 Longacre and James Herring made plans to do a series of biographies of famous men in the military and in politics. This project became the National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans in four volumes that was first published in 1834. This set of books brought great fame to Longacre and those who worked with him. In 1844, through the influence of John C. Calhoun, Longacre was made Chief Engraver at the Mint, where he succeeded the late Christian Gobrecht. Longacres experience was limited, but he was a talented artist. By 1849 he was able to create the gold dollar and double eagle, the design of which lasted until well into the twentieth century. One of Longacres associates, Chief Coiner Franklin Peale, opposed Longacres appointment and became an obstructionist. Peale ran a lucrative and illicit, private medal-making business using Mint facilities, and he felt that Longacres presence would jeopardize it. In 1854 Peale was fired by President Franklin Pearce, and Longacres life became easier. Longacre remained Chief Engraver throughout the Civil War and until his death in 1869. Coins from Longacres estate were auctioned in 1870. They included patterns, coins of Chile, and regularly issued coins.

At the beginning of the Civil War many northerners were shocked by how well the Confederate soldiers fought. This conflict was to be no mere skirmish but a full blown war. The first Battle of Bull Run ended in defeat for the Union army, and Lincoln appointed George B. McClellan commander of the Union forces. The public became nervous that the Union might not win, and they began hoarding coins.

In 1861 2,976,453 double eagles were struck in Philadelphia. With that large mintage, one would think that the date is common. Yet only 4,210 pieces, a small fraction of the mintage, have been certified in all grades by both grading services, and these numbers do not account for resubmissions or crossovers. In December of 1861 gold sharply rose in value. Large numbers of coins were exported where they were melted. Inflation took hold and drove down the value of paper currency.

The 1861 double eagle is a well struck example of the first year of the Civil War mintage. On the obverse, the centers of the stars and the hair details on top of Libertys head are full. (All of the double eagles of these years have less distinct hair details especially above Libertys ear. Later issues, after 1890 have more detail.) The reverse shows strong detail on the eagle, the shield, and the other devices. Mint luster glows on the surface in protected areas. The grade of AU58 is confirmed by sufficient separation in the lines of Libertys hair and the back portion of the coronet to warrant the grade.

Trying to improve the design, Anthony Paquet modified the reverse by making the letters taller and narrower. This change was put into production and then halted when it was realized that the border was too narrow and didnt have enough of a raised rim to protect the coin. Two coins were made in Philadelphia. However, the order to use the older reverse die came too late to San Francisco, where 19,250 Paquet reverse coins were made. Of that number minted, only 139 have been certified by both grading services indicating that many did not survive and were melted.

An optional addition to the Philadelphia Civil War Set is the 1861-O double eagle. This rare, New Orleans, Civil War dated double eagle has a strong strike as indicated on the obverse by the detailed star centers, Libertys hair, and the eagle on the reverse. The dentils are strong on both sides. Subdued mint luster is seen within the devices. Sufficient separation in the lines of Libertys hair and the lower portion of the coronet are present to warrant the grade. In its population report, PGCS shows 11 1861-O double eagles certified at AU50 with 31 better.

During the Civil War, when Louisiana seceded from the Union, the New Orleans Mint was seized by the state of Louisiana. It then became the Confederacys mint when Louisiana joined the CSA. This historic coin was struck under the aegis of one of the three different governmental authorities. Approximately 5,000 were struck by the Federal government. After it seceded from the union, the state of Louisiana struck 9,750 pieces, and 2,991 coins were struck by the Confederacy. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell which coins were struck by which government.

1862 $20 (1862 Double Eagle) PCGS AU53 - In 1862, the war was raging, and its outcome was anything but a certainty; there were victories by both sides. General Grant captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. The ironclad ships, Merrimack and Monitor, fought to a standstill. McClellan was relieved of his command and Burnside was put in charge of the Army of the Potomac. After Burnside lost to Lee at Fredericksburg in December, he was replaced. Both sides did business with England, but she refused to recognize the CSA government. Lincoln proclaimed that if he could save the Union without freeing slaves, he would do it. He would also do it by freeing some and leaving others alone. The Emancipation Proclamation did just that. It freed the slaves in states that were in rebellion. At this time inflation was rampant. Legal Tender paper currency was unwanted and all coinage was hoarded. In the East, no coins circulated. In the West, silver coins were plentiful and circulated. Legal Tender notes did not circulate.

The 1862 double eagle is one of the rarest Type 1 double eagles from the Philadelphia Mint, and it has the lowest Civil War mintage with 92,133 pieces struck. Yet there are only 138 certified today in all grades by both major grading services. This particular coins striking characteristics that are similar to the 1861 issue. There are fully detailed stars and hair on the obverse and good details on the reverse. Subdued luster remains in protected areas of both sides. There is a bit more surface chatter than on the previous issue, but nothing is really distracting for the grade or worthy of individual mention. In its population report, PCGS shows 10 1862 double eagles in AU53 condition with 11 better.

1863 $20 (1863 Double Eagle) NGC AU55 - Although both sides sustained tremendous casualties, the Battle of Gettysburg marked the turning point in the war. In dedicating the National Cemetery at Gettysburg four and a half months after the battle, Lincoln invoked principals of equality and defined the Civil War as a struggle for a new birth of freedom. He used the ceremony as an opportunity to urge his listeners to make sure America survives as a representative democracy. In July the draft of citizens into the Army began. Anyone who paid $300 was exempt. In many Northern cities, draft riots broke out. In New York City a mob attacked the Colored Orphans Asylum. While none of the children were hurt because they had been evacuated earlier, thousands were injured and 1,200 people were killed. In the South, President Jefferson Davis suggested that plantation owners plant vegetables instead of tobacco to alleviate the food shortage. By mid-year inflation was so bad that $140 to $150 in Federal Legal Tender notes bought $100 worth of gold coins. Later the cost went to $220 in paper money. The government would not accept its own paper money for purchase of Proof coins or sets. None of the coinage circulated. It was exported, hoarded, or remained in Treasury vaults. As a result of a shortage of coinage, there was a large amount of private scrip notes and copper tokens in circulation.

The 1863 double eagle has reasonably clean surfaces and lovely, smoldering mint luster. It too is well struck as evidenced by the stars centers, hair details, and full reverse devices. The grade is confirmed by the separation of the lines in Libertys hair and the back portion of the coronet above the ear. In its population report, NGC shows 43 in AU55 with 56 better.

1864 $20 (1864 Double Eagle) NGC AU58 - The war continued furiously. In February General Shermans troops occupied Meridian, Mississippi. In March Grant, who had been placed in command of the Union armies, was defeated by Lee at the Battle of Cold Springs Harbor. Then Sherman was defeated in Georgia at Kenesaw Mountain; however, he was the victor at the Battle of Atlanta. In November he led his troops on a devastating march through Georgia to the coast. Meanwhile, Lincoln was reelected in a victory over Democrat George McClellan. Inflation was worse than before. A legal tender $10.00 note was worth $3.90 in silver. A CSA $10.00 note was worth 46 cents. In this year the first coin with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, the two-cent piece, was minted. Beginning in 1866 the double eagle had the motto added.

The 1864 double eagle in this set has the provenance of the Eagle Collection. It is a sharply struck specimen with subdued luster in the protected areas. Sufficient separation shows between the lines of Libertys hair, the lines of the lower coronet, and the devices of the reverse to warrant the grade. In its population report, NGC shows 71 1864 double eagles in AU58 with 28 better.

1865 $20 (1865 Double Eagle) NGC AU58 - The war ended with a series of Union victories. Columbia, South Carolina was occupied by Union troops in February; the next day Charleston surrendered; and Petersburg, Virginia surrendered in April. Also in April, Grant captured Richmond, the CSA capital; and Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, Virginia. More than a million men had been killed or wounded on both sides in the war. Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th by Booth at Fords Theatre in Washington, DC, and Vice President Johnson became President. In January $100.00 in Federal currency was worth $46.00 in gold while $100.00 in CSA currency was worth $1.70. The Mint issued 3 cent coins to retire the 3 cent fractional currency that was circulating. Silver and gold still did not circulate, but Indian cents, two-cent pieces, and three-cent nickel coins were plentiful. Most small change was made by using fractional currency notes that were abundant.

Like the other Philadelphia Mint Civil War dated double eagles in this set, the 1865 piece has a full strike and shows muted mint luster in the protected areas. The separation in the lines of Libertys hair, the lower coronet, and the details of the reverse are all sufficient for the grade. In is population report, NGC shows 98 1865 double eagles in AU58 with 40 better.