1883 Liberty Head Double Eagle

1883 Liberty Head double eagles are rather common by date, as more than 1.2 million were made and many still survive. The San Francisco mint, which was geographically situated in the heart of Gold Rush country in California, not surprisingly handled the bulk of $20 gold coin production that year. While gold coins were mainly used in the West, some did see circulation in the larger cities along the eastern seaboard. Bear in mind that $20 was a lot of money in the 1860s, and as such double eagles were mainly used during large transactions, most often banking related.

Here is a breakdown of the mintages and values of 1883 double eagle gold coins:

• 1883 (proof only), 92; $195,000

• 1883-CC, 59,962; $4,209

• 1883-S, 1,189,000; $2,987

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

1883 $20 double eagle gold coins weigh 33.44 grams, contain 0.9613 ounces of gold, and measure 34 millimeters wide. The $20 gold coin’s hefty weight and sizable diameter are two reasons the double eagle remains popular with both numismatists and coin collectors today. Their historical value is another important factor behind the perennial popularity of double eagle $20 gold coins.