Certified $20 Gold Liberty 1894 MS62 NGC Prooflike Obverse

It is very unusual when gold coins display Proof-like (highly reflective) surfaces. This 1894 Gold Double Eagle has reflective surfaces on the obverse. That means that the obverse die that was used to strike this particular coin was relatively new. As a die is used, it loses its reflectivity and cannot transfer that special quality to the coin being struck. This coin has reflective surfaces in the obverse only so that is why that the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation didn’t put “proof-like” as a qualifying term on the coin insert with the grade as the grading services require both sides to be fully prooflike before they use that term on the insert. However, it is a great a great coin and it has the Prooflike Obverse as an added bonus. The Liberty Head Double Eagle coins were first struck in 1849, the year that gold fever was very popular because of the gold strike in California. However, that year only one example was struck by the Mint to test the striking of these new dies. That lone specimen is in the National Coin Collection in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. James Barton Longacre designed this coin, inspired by Christian Gobrecht’s Liberty design on the smaller denomination gold coins that were already in circulation. The obverse depicts a large portrait of Miss Liberty, facing to the left. The date is below her portrait while thirteen six-pointed stars surround Miss Liberty. The reverse depicts a large heraldic-style eagle with wings outstretched. Above the eagle is an oval of thirteen six-pointed stars with the motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” inside the oval. There is a banner in the eagle’s beak displays the motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The eagle is holding arrows representing war in one talon and an olive branch representing peace in the other. Around the upper periphery is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and on the lower periphery is the denomination “TWENTY DOLLARS.” This wonderful 1894 $20 Liberty Double Eagle gold coin was graded as MS62 by PCGS and would be a great addition to your collection or as in investment.