Numismatic

1888-S $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle MS-63 PCGS

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In 1888, the San Francisco Mint produced a run of 859,600 gold double eagles, each containing nearly a full ounce of gold with a purity of 0.900. These substantial coins served as a backbone of high-value transactions in late nineteenth-century America, carrying a face value of twenty dollars. Today, surviving examples in high grades offer a direct window into the era's precise coining technology. This particular specimen is certified in Mint State 63 (MS-63), a grade that indicates a remarkably well-preserved surface with its original luster intact. The obverse features the classic profile of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed with her name, surrounded by thirteen stars. On the reverse, the heraldic eagle is flanked by the denomination TWENTY DOLLARS and the national mottoes, including IN GOD WE TRUST. The small 'S' mint mark below the eagle confirms its origin at the historic California minting facility.