- PCGS #:
- 89099
- Designer:
- James Barton Longacre
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 34.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 33.40 grams
- Mintage:
- 92
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $212,750 • PR65 • 01-05-2006 • Heritage Auctions
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Current Auctions - PCGS Graded
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For Sale Now at Collectors Corner - PCGS Graded
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Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 PR64CAM estimated grade
Heritage 1/2006:3580 (as NGC PR65CAM 584203-001), $212,7850 |
|
#2 PR63CAM estimated grade
Richmond Collection - David Lawrence 7/2004:2327, $149,500 |
|
#2 PR63CAM estimated grade
H. Jeff Browning "Dallas Bank Collection" - Sotheby's/Stack's 10/2001:91, $126,500 |
| #2 PR63CAM estimated grade |
| #2 PR63CAM estimated grade |
| #2 PR63CAM estimated grade |
| #2 PR63CAM estimated grade |
| #2 PR63CAM estimated grade |
| #9 PR60CAM estimated grade |
| #9 PR60CAM estimated grade |
P. Scott Rubin:
The 1883 Proof Double Eagle is one of the rarest coins in the Liberty Head Double Eagle Series. With only twenty of the reported ninety-two struck coins known to exist today, this is a very desirable coin. No circulation issue Double Eagles were issued by the Philadelphia Mint in 1883.
The earliest auction sale of an 1883 Double Eagle of which I am aware took place in January of 1884 in W. Elliot Woodward’s 62nd Sale of the Heman Ely Collection. The coin was included as part of a complete set of Proof Gold coinage of 1883.
It appears that the appeal of a Proof-only strike of the 1883 Double Eagle may have enticed some of the collectors and coin dealers of the day to purchase a few for future sale. This is evidenced in the 1885 sales of possibly four 1883 Proof Double Eagles in two Woodward Sales of the J. Colvin Randall Collection. Each of these sales of the collector/dealer Randall’s coins each contained an 1883 Gold Proof Set and a single 1883 Proof Double Eagle. The point of interest may also be the price realized for the two single coins: the first realized $21.50 and the second realized $21.00, showing that there was no great demand for these coins soon after their issue. Some eighteen years after their issue a sale of a single 1883 Double Eagle Proof coin by Ed. Frossard in May of 1901 only realized $22.00.
It would take more collectors of the Double Eagle series and the appreciation of this coin’s true rarity to create the modern value for the 1883 Proof Double Eagle. Two different specimens of the 1883 Proof Double Eagle have sold for the record price of $282,000.00. Both coins are graded PCGS PR65 Deep Cameo by PCGS and both were sold in 2014 by Heritage Auctions: the first was in their January Platinum Night Sale as lot 5566 and the second was sold in their April Platinum Night Sale as lot 5848.
The earliest auction sale of an 1883 Double Eagle of which I am aware took place in January of 1884 in W. Elliot Woodward’s 62nd Sale of the Heman Ely Collection. The coin was included as part of a complete set of Proof Gold coinage of 1883.
It appears that the appeal of a Proof-only strike of the 1883 Double Eagle may have enticed some of the collectors and coin dealers of the day to purchase a few for future sale. This is evidenced in the 1885 sales of possibly four 1883 Proof Double Eagles in two Woodward Sales of the J. Colvin Randall Collection. Each of these sales of the collector/dealer Randall’s coins each contained an 1883 Gold Proof Set and a single 1883 Proof Double Eagle. The point of interest may also be the price realized for the two single coins: the first realized $21.50 and the second realized $21.00, showing that there was no great demand for these coins soon after their issue. Some eighteen years after their issue a sale of a single 1883 Double Eagle Proof coin by Ed. Frossard in May of 1901 only realized $22.00.
It would take more collectors of the Double Eagle series and the appreciation of this coin’s true rarity to create the modern value for the 1883 Proof Double Eagle. Two different specimens of the 1883 Proof Double Eagle have sold for the record price of $282,000.00. Both coins are graded PCGS PR65 Deep Cameo by PCGS and both were sold in 2014 by Heritage Auctions: the first was in their January Platinum Night Sale as lot 5566 and the second was sold in their April Platinum Night Sale as lot 5848.