1862 Liberty Head Double Eagle

Less than 1 million 1862 Liberty Head double eagles were made, which makes them among the scarcer $20 gold coins. Still, they are not prohibitively expensive for typical gold coin collectors and are relatively easy to locate with a bit of dedicated searching at coin shops that specialize in pre-1933 U.S. gold coins or at auctions. 1862 double eagles weigh 33.44 grams, contain 0.9613 ounces of gold, and are 34 millimeters wide, which places their diameter about midway between the widths of a modern-day half dollar and silver dollar.

The double eagle’s heavy weight and large size make them favorites for many coin collectors and investors alike. Though the history behind these coins – directly linked to the discovery of gold during the Gold Rush, adds an even greater allure to these classic American coins.

Below is a look at the mintages and values of 1862 double eagle gold coins:

• 1862, 92,133; $6,668

• 1862-S, 854,173; $3,201

• 1862 proof, 35; $250,000

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

As is the case with virtually all pre-1933 U.S. gold coins, 1862 gold double eagles are much scarcer than their original mintage figures listed above would usually suggest. For your protection when buying these coins, be sure they are authenticated by reputable, third-party coin grading companies such as the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) or Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC).