1855 Liberty Head Double Eagle

1855 Liberty Head double eagles are large, heavy $20 gold coins that weigh 33.44 grams, contain 0.9613 ounces of gold, and measure 34 millimeters wide. Around 1.2 million double eagles were made in 1855, which, with few exceptions, was a relatively average-to-high output during the era. Certainly, several years saw lower mintages, but by no means is the 1855 double eagle a common coin. In fact, no pre-1933 U.S. gold coin is really “common” in the absolute sense, even if they are often encountered at coin dealers.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values of 1855 Liberty Head double eagles:

• 1855, 364,666; $3,203

• 1855-O, 8,000; $13,500

• 1855-S, 879,675; $2,976

*Values are for coins in a grade of Extremely Fine 40.

The 1855-O double eagle is actually much rare than even the low mintage figure of 8,000, listed above, would suggest. In fact, virtually all pre-1933 U.S. gold coins are considerably scarcer than their published mintage numbers. When it comes to old U.S. coins, one should refer to mintage figures on an anecdotal basis. Remember, most gold coins have been melted over the years, leaving behind tiny fractions of their original production for coin collectors and investors today.