1856-S $20.00 PCGS MS63 CAC

While not indicated as such on the insert of the holder, my guess is that this coin is from the S.S. Central America shipwreck. It doesn't have the "look" that most of the coins from this source show but the luster is just a tiny bit semi-matte in texture and the color, a medium orange-gold hue, is suggestive of some exposure to seawater. Regardless of its origin, this coin has amazing detail, exceptional surfaces and a really great look for an early date San Francisco Type One issue. There are just a few tiny scuffs in the fields that are hard to see with the naked eye and a tiny pinprick-sized grease stain on the cheek is mentioned solely for future identification. The 1856-S is many, many times rarer in this grade than the 1857-S and to find any date other than the 1857-S in MS63 (and with this appearance) is no easy task. The last PCGS MS63 1856-S double eagle to sell at auction was Heritage 1/10: 2245 that realized $15,525 and PCGS MS63 examples have been routinely bringing between $12,000 and 14,000 at auction since early 2005.