AMAZING PCGS/CAC MS64 1860 $20.00, ex New England Collection.

In the lowest Uncirculated grades (MS60 to MS62), this date can be found without great difficulty. In MS63 to MS64, the 1860 is very scarce and it is unique in Gem with that coin—graded MS65 by PCGS/CAC—having been acquired for the New England Collection by your humble narrator for $141,000—as Stack’s Bowers 2016 ANA: 3490. It took 10 years to get around to selling the duplicate 1860 $20 from the New England set of Type One double eagles, but here it is in all of its blazing glory.

The following list represents the finest 1860 business strike double eagles that I have seen or sold:

• PCGS/CAC MS65: New England collection via Douglas Winter Numismatics 2016 ANA: 3490 ($141,000), ex Bull Run Collection, Bowers and Ruddy 10/1982: 900 ($11,000), Eliasberg Collection, John Clapp Jr. and Sr., Chapman Brothers 11/1897.

• NGC MS65: Heritage 9/2006: 4046 ($69,000), ex S.S. Republic.

• NGC/CAC MS64: Stack’s Bowers 4/2022: 4065 ($120,000), ex Zito Collection.

• PCGS/CAC MS64: This coin, ex Heritage 4/2014: 5803 (as NGC/CAC MS64) where it sold for $64,625.

• PCGS MS64: Heritage 1/2017: 5999 where it brought $70,500, ex Bass Collection.

• PCGS MS64: Bowers and Merena 11/2000, ex Bass Collection.

This coin has an amazing look and it more closely resembles a common date struck in the early 1900s rather than a coin issued just before the Civil War. While this coin was successfully crossed from NGC to PCGS, I believe it has a chance to upgrade to MS64+ if resubmitted.

A major Condition Rarity which deserves to reside in a world-class set of Type One $20s.

CAC has approved three in MS64 and only one finer (MS65).

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