1868 Liberty Head Double Eagle

Less than 1 million 1868 Liberty Head double eagles were made at the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints, which means they are among the scarcer $20 gold coins. James B. Longacre originally designed the double eagle gold coin in 1849, which was during the height of the Gold Rush in California. Not surprisingly, the San Francisco mint had the larger output of gold coins during many given years, and that was indeed the case in 1868.

Here’s a rundown of the mintages and values of 1868 $20 gold coins:

• 1868, 98,575; $3,258

• 1868-S, 837,500; $2,987

• 1868 proof, 25; $200,000

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

1868 $20 double eagle gold coins weigh 33.44 grams and contain 0.9613 ounces of gold. They’re also 34 millimeters wide, which means they are roughly halfway between the width of a modern-day half dollar and a typical silver dollar. The double eagle’s heavy weight and large size make them very popular among coin collectors and investors alike. Because pre-1933 gold coins are rare – much more so than their mintages would suggest – it’s prudent to buy only certified specimens in slabs from reputable third-party coin grading firms.