1872-S $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle NGC AU55

Introduction

The 1872-S $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle graded NGC AU55 is a well-preserved example of nineteenth-century United States gold coinage. Certified About Uncirculated 55 by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), this San Francisco Mint issue retains substantial original design detail with only light wear from circulation. Containing approximately .9675 troy ounces of pure gold, the 1872-S Double Eagle combines substantial precious metal content, branch-mint history, and the enduring appeal of classic American gold.

History

The Liberty Head Double Eagle was introduced in 1850 following the California Gold Rush, which dramatically increased the nation's gold supply and created the need for a larger gold denomination. Designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre, the $20 Double Eagle provided an efficient way to convert newly mined gold into federal coinage and became an important instrument in banking, large commercial transactions, and international trade.

The San Francisco Mint struck 780,000 Liberty Head Double Eagles in 1872. Located near the source of much of the gold produced in the American West, the San Francisco facility played an important role in converting newly mined gold into federal coinage for commerce and international financial transactions. The 1872-S belongs to the Type II Liberty Head Double Eagle design, distinguished by the addition of IN GOD WE TRUST to the reverse while retaining the abbreviated denomination TWENTY D. Graded NGC AU55, this example preserves much of the detail and character of this historic San Francisco Mint issue.

Design

The obverse features James B. Longacre's left-facing portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed with LIBERTY. Thirteen stars representing the original states surround the portrait, while the date 1872 appears below. Longacre's classical portrait became one of the defining images of nineteenth-century American gold coinage.

The reverse depicts a heraldic eagle with a shield across its breast, holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons. An ornate arrangement of rays, stars, and scrollwork surrounds the eagle, with IN GOD WE TRUST appearing within the oval of stars above. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY D. identify the issuing nation and denomination, while the S mintmark identifies this example as a product of the San Francisco Mint.