1888 Liberty Head Double Eagle

1888 Liberty Head double eagles are considerably common as more than 1 million were originally struck by the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints, with the latter facility producing the bulk of that year’s issue. It’s not surprising that San Francisco handled most of the double eagle production, as they and other pre-1933 gold coins circulated mainly in the West.

Here is a breakdown of the mintages and values of 1888 double eagle gold coins:

• 1888, 226,161; $2,885

• 1888-S, 859,600; $2,885

• 1888 proof, 105; $93,500

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

1888 $20 double eagle gold coins contain 0.9613 ounces of gold, weigh 33.44 grams, and measure 34 millimeters wide. The overall hefty weight and large size of $20 gold coins is appealing to coin collectors and bullion investors, and the romantic history behind double eagles is alluring to numismatists and non-numismatists alike. The Liberty Head double eagle was designed in 1849 by James B. Longacre, who served as Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1844 through 1869. Along with 1888 double eagle $20 gold coins, he also designed other popular coins, including the Indian Head penny and 2 Cent coin, the latter of which in 1864 became the first coin to bear the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.”