1859-S $20 XF45 PCGS CAC

The 1859-S Liberty Head Double Eagle is a popular Type One branch-mint issue from the early years of the San Francisco Mint, with a substantial original mintage of 636,445 pieces but a survival estimate of just 1,771 examples across all grades. This Choice XF45 PCGS CAC specimen displays attractive, naturally preserved honey-gold and golden-apricot surfaces, with deeper accents outlining portions of Liberty’s portrait and the reverse devices. Historically, the San Francisco Mint had opened only five years earlier in 1854 specifically to transform the enormous quantities of California Gold Rush bullion into federal coinage, and double eagles such as the 1859-S became an important vehicle for converting Western gold into a standardized $20 denomination. Despite its comparatively large mintage, extensive commercial use and subsequent attrition account for the relatively small number estimated to survive today. CAC Price Guide is $5,750. An XF45 PCGS CAC example sold for $5,124 in May 2026 at Heritage, while a lower grade XF40 PCGS CAC example is currently offered at $5,500. 

PCGS Cert Verification #32926026

• PCGS POP - 199/448
• CAC Price Guide - $5,750
• CAC POP - 34/129
• PCGS Coin# 8928