1851 $20 Baldwin & Co. (Regular Strike)

Series: (None)

PCGS #:
10034
Designer:
N/A
Edge:
N/A
Diameter:
N/A
Weight:
N/A
Mintage:
N/A
Mint:
Philadelphia
Metal:
Other
Major Varieties

Current Auctions - PCGS Graded
Current Auctions - NGC Graded
For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - PCGS Graded
For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - NGC Graded

Condition Census What Is This?

Pos Grade Image Pedigree and History
1 MS61 estimated grade

Henry Clifford Collection - Bank of California

2 AU58 PCGS Estimated grade

Charles M. Williams Collection - possibly Clinton Hester Collection - Thomas G. Melish Collection - Abe Kosoff 4/1956:2331 - Smith & Sons - Josiah K. Lilly Collection - National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution

3 XF45 PCGS grade

Arthur C. Nygren Collection - Henry Chapman 4/1924:61, $2,525 - John Work Garrett Collection - Johns Hopkins University - Bowers & Ruddy 3/1980:881, $110,000 - Riverboat Collection - Heritage 4/2014:5438, $646,250

4 XF40 estimated grade

H.O. Granberg Collection, exhibited at the 1914 ANS Exhibition - Waldo C. Newcomer Collection, illustrated in Mehl's Newcomer plates - possibly "Col." E.H.R. Green - Henry Clifford Collection - Donald Kagin - Paul Padget - Stuart Levine and Donald Kagin - private collection

#1 MS61 estimated grade

Henry Clifford Collection - Bank of California

#2 AU58 PCGS Estimated grade

Charles M. Williams Collection - possibly Clinton Hester Collection - Thomas G. Melish Collection - Abe Kosoff 4/1956:2331 - Smith & Sons - Josiah K. Lilly Collection - National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution

#3 XF45 PCGS grade

Arthur C. Nygren Collection - Henry Chapman 4/1924:61, $2,525 - John Work Garrett Collection - Johns Hopkins University - Bowers & Ruddy 3/1980:881, $110,000 - Riverboat Collection - Heritage 4/2014:5438, $646,250

#4 XF40 estimated grade

H.O. Granberg Collection, exhibited at the 1914 ANS Exhibition - Waldo C. Newcomer Collection, illustrated in Mehl's Newcomer plates - possibly "Col." E.H.R. Green - Henry Clifford Collection - Donald Kagin - Paul Padget - Stuart Levine and Donald Kagin - private collection

Ron Guth:

The 1851 $20 Baldwin is the largest denomination issued by the firm of Baldwin & Co. The design is very close to that of the federal $20 gold piece, with a head of Liberty on the obverse and an eagle with spread wings on the reverse, but with major differences. The name BALDWIN & CO. appears on the coronet, but part of the C and all of the O are hidden by Liberty's hair. On the reverse, the legend S.M.V. CALIFORNIA GOLD replaces UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Only four examples are known of the 1851 $20 Baldwin. One example is in a bank museum, another is in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, and a third is in a private collection. In April 2014, the Garrett Collection example reappeared after 34 years and sold for $646,250, setting a new record price for the type.