1869-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle PCGS AU58 CAC
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Introduction
The 1869-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle is a historic San Francisco Mint gold coin from the Type II period of the Liberty Head series. Designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre, the Double Eagle played an important role in transforming California gold into federal coinage during the 19th century. This example is graded PCGS AU58 and has received CAC approval, recognizing its quality and eye appeal within the assigned grade.
History
The San Francisco Mint struck 686,750 Liberty Head Double Eagles in 1869. By this period, the San Francisco Mint had become a major producer of $20 gold pieces, processing gold from the American West into coins that served both domestic commerce and international trade. Despite its substantial original mintage, the 1869-S is considerably scarcer today, particularly in Mint State.
The 1869-S belongs to the Type II Liberty Head Double Eagle series produced from 1866 through 1876. This design introduced the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to the reverse while retaining the abbreviated denomination TWENTY D. The Type II design represents an important transitional period between the original No Motto Double Eagle and the Type III design introduced in 1877.
Design
The obverse features James B. Longacre's left-facing portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Her hair is arranged in a bun with curls descending behind her neck, while thirteen stars representing the original states surround the portrait. The date 1869 appears below.
The reverse features a heraldic eagle with outstretched wings and a shield on its breast, surrounded by an oval of stars and rays. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appears around the design, with the denomination TWENTY D. below. As a Type II issue, IN GOD WE TRUST appears above the eagle. The S mintmark identifies the coin as a product of the San Francisco Mint.
| Year | 1869 |
|---|---|
| Metal | Gold |
| Grade | AU58 |
| Mint | San Francisco |
| Weight | 0.9675 |
| Fineness | .900 |
| Diameter | 34mm |
A LITTLE STICKER MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Within each number of the coin grading scale is a small range of condition from low-end to high-end. Certified coins of the same grade can be of varying quality. Many of today’s collectors want coins that are solid or premium quality for their assigned grade. CAC holds coins to a higher standard so you can be confident in the value of yours. We verify previously graded coins … and award our sticker only to those coins that meet the standard for today’s selective buyer.
WHAT THE CAC STICKER MEANS:
- Verified. Your coin has been verified as meeting the standard for strict quality within its grade.
- Guaranteed. CAC stands behind our verification.
THE CAC STICKER IS BACKED BY EXPERIENCE.
CAC was founded by leading members of the numismatic community, including John Albanese, a respected authority on coin grading and the rare coin market.
