AMONG THE FINEST KNOWN 1854-S $20’S WITH NON-SEAWATER SURFACES

While over 100 1854-S double eagles have been recorded by PCGS and NGC, these figures are extremely misleading. At least 90% of all the Mint State 1854-S double eagles are from the S.S. Yankee Blade, a ship which sank in a storm in 1854 of the coast of Santa Barbara. A few hundred double eagles were located ca. 1977 and these are easily identifiable by their somewhat grainy soft matte finish. Examples with this type of surface are known in MS64 and even in MS65 with a very strong auction record of $132,000 for a Gem in the Stacks Bowers 3/2020 sale.Unfortunately, the services do not distinguish between shipwreck and non-shipwreck 1854-S $20 which keeps prices down on the few higher grade examples with natural surfaces.

This frosty example has wonderful rich rose and green-gold color. It is 100% original in every sense of this overworked term with razor sharp details on both sides. Some scattered marks are seen in he upper left obvrse filed and there is a more noticeable bagmark running vertically through the middle of the shield on the reverse. The overall eye appeal is—for this date—ff he charts.

There are fewer than 10 known Mint State 1854-S $20’s in MS60. I am aware of just two or three in MS62 and I have never seen one that was finer.

There have been seven auction sales of PCGS MS62 examples of this date—including this exact coin (see below) since 2025 with a high APR of $40,800 and a low of $34,160. All of these were seawater coins

Ex Heritage 10/2026: 3540 where I purchased it for $34,160; earlier sold as Lot 5373 in Stacks Bowers sale of 4/2022 at $40,800. From the Fairmont Hoard.

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