1876 Liberty Head Double Eagle

1876 Liberty Head double eagle $20 gold coins are generally quite common on the marketplace, as more than 2.3 million coins were made, and a decent fraction of that output survives to this day. The San Francisco mint handled much of the production of those gold coins, which were mainly used in the West. Some did see moderate circulation along the eastern seaboard. Remember, $20 was a lot of money in the 1870s. As such, double eagles were mainly used during large transactions, most often banking related.

Here is a look at the mintages and values of 1876 double eagle gold coins:

• 1876, 583,860; $2,885

• 1876-CC, 138,441; $3,935

• 1876-S, 1,597,000; $2,885

• 1876 proof, 45; $275,000

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

1876 $20 double eagle gold coins weigh 33.44 grams and contain 0.9613 ounces of gold. They also measure 34 millimeters wide, which places their diameter about halfway between the widths of a modern-day half dollar and silver dollar. The double eagle’s heavy weight and large size help ensure their popularity among both numismatists and bullion investors alike. 1876 Liberty Head double eagles, which were designed by James B. Longacre, were the last to show the value of the coin as “TWENTY D.” on the reverse. Beginning in 1877, “TWENTY DOLLARS” would be spelled out in full.