The 1864 double eagle is an issue with strong multiple levels of demand. It is the third scarcest Civil War double eagle after the 1862 and the 1863 but it is far harder to locate than the common 1861 or the hoard-inflated 1865. The 1864 is usually seen in EF and the lowest AU grades. It is scarce in properly graded AU55, rare in AU58 and very rare in full Uncirculated. I sold the finest known, a PCGS MS65, to a specialist collector last year.

This fresh-to-the-market example displays rich orange-gold color which is suggestive of a “Euro” appearance. There are splashes of deeper color on the obverse, especially in the lower left field, which add character to the appearance. The luster is mostly intact and the fields lack the deep, dense marks typical to this issue. This is an uncommonly original 1864 double eagle.

Only one AU55 1864 $20 has sold at auction since September 2013. Graded AU55, this piece brought $10,575 as Heritage 1/14: 7091 and it was not as choice as the present piece.

A nicer 1864 double eagle would not be easy to locate and this piece should appeal to many Type One or Civil War collectors.

For more information on this date, click here.