1927-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. MS-64 (PCGS). CAC.

This is an exceptional survivor of this rare issue with beautiful wheat-gold color to both sides. The surfaces remain incredibly composed at this grade level, with only the most trivial marks scattered about. A superior combination of eye appeal, surface quality and utmost rarity. For the numismatist assembling a set of Saint-Gaudens double eagles, the later issues present a formidable challenge, even when the 1933 double eagle is excluded. Most were struck at the Mint then immediately set aside in Treasury vaults where they sat until the early 1930s when they were sent right back to the Mint for melting down into ingots. The 1927-S $20 is typical of these late issues and examples are very scarce in today's market. The mintage of 3,107,000 pieces would ordinarily suggest a very common coin, but of these three million, only 3,750 were actually delivered to the Federal Reserve or to large commercial banks. A little more than 3,000 were retained for assay purposes, and the balance of about 3.1 million coins was immediately sent into storage then destroyed without having seen the light of day. The rarity of the 1927-S was suspected by the numismatic community as early as the 1940s, during which large quantities of double eagles started returning to the United States after World War II, making formerly rare issues more widely available. However, the 1927-S did not surface in any appreciable numbers and certainly not enough to remove its status as a rarer issue. It is estimated that fewer than 300 examples remain in all grades. This piece is surely one of the most desirable examples and is ideal for an advanced collection of this series.

PCGS# 9188. NGC ID: 26GJ.

PCGS Population: 8; 11 finer (MS-67 finest). CAC Population: 1; 4.

From the Fairmont Collection-Hendricks Set.

Estimate: $ 50000