1861 $20 Paquet Reverse (Regular Strike)
Series: Liberty Head $20 1850-1907
PCGS MS67
PCGS MS61
Image courtesy of Heritage Numismatic Auctions
- PCGS #:
- 8933
- Designer:
- James Barton Longacre
- Edge:
- Reeded
- Diameter:
- 34.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 33.40 grams
- Mintage:
- 2,976,453
- Mint:
- Philadelphia
- Metal:
- 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $7,200,000 • MS67 • 08-22-2021 • Heritage Auctions
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 2 |
| 60 or Better | 2 |
| 65 or Better | 1 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-9.9 |
| 60 or Better | R-9.9 |
| 65 or Better | R-10.0 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1 / 44 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 44 TIE |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 44 |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1 / 148 |
| 60 or Better | 4 / 148 TIE |
| 65 or Better | 1 / 148 |
Condition Census What Is This?
|
#1 MS67 PCGS grade
Woodward 3/1865:2818, $37 - William Jenks Collection - George Seavey Collection - William H. Strobridge 6/1873:981, not sold (Lorin G. Parmelee purchased the collection intact before the auction took place) - Lorin G. Parmelee Collection - New York Coin & Stamp Co. 6/1890:1817, $44 - George D. Woodside Collection - New York Coin & Stamp Co. 4/1892:115, $37.50 - M.A. Brown - S.H. & H. Chapman 4/1897:53, $52.50 - Virgil M. Brand (Journal #17021) - Armin Brand (inherited from brother Virgil 1932, sold privately in 12/1936 for $500 - Burdette G. Johnson, sold privately in 12/1943 for $650 - F.C.C. Boyd, sold privately in 1943 for $1,250 - Abe Kosoff, sold privately for $3,250 - King Farouk of Egypt - Sotheby's "Palace Collection" 2/1954:289, $1,170.30 - New Netherlands Coin Co., sold privately in 1954 for $5,000 - Norweb Family Collection - Bowers & Merena 11/1988:3984, $660,000 - Manfra, Todella & Brookes - Brian Hendelson of Classic Coin Co., sold privately in 1/2017 - Larry Lee of Coin & Bullion Reserve |
|
#2 MS61 PCGS grade
Akers Plate Coin
Col. Mendes I. Cohen Collection - Edward Cogan 10/1875:1314, $26 - George W. Cram Collection - William H. Strobridge 3/1877:597, $22.25 - Paul Wittlin discovered coin in Paris, 1965 - Paramount, sold privately for $12,500 - RARCOA - Abe Kosoff - A collector identified as being from North Carolina - Mike Brownlee, with Abe Kosoff - H. Jeff Browning (Dallas Bank Collection) - Sotheby's/Stack’s 10/2001:30, $345,000 - Wyoming Collection - Heritage 8/2006:5623 (as PCGS MS61 10178048), $1,610,000 - Adam Crum of Monaco Rare Coins - Charles G. Wright Family Collection - Heritage 8/2014:5702 (as PCGS MS61 10178048), $1,645,000 - Doug Winter Numismatics
|
In early 2017, PCGS had the high honor of examining and authenticating the finest of two known 1861 Paquet $20's as a PCGS MS67. In the video below, David Hall explains why this is such an important coin.
This is the rarest regular issue U.S. Double Eagle but it is also one of the least publicized. For a great many years it was widely considered to be a pattern but more recent research has shown it to have been intended for actual circulation. However, before any were released, the entire mintage was recalled and melted. The number originally struck is not known but only two specimens can be accounted for today. One is in the Norweb Collection and is the specimen from the Farouk sale. Although I am not absolutely certain, I believe this to be the same coin that was sold in the famous Parmelee sale of 1890. The Parmelee coin was undoubtedly the piece from the 1865 Woodward Sale (March 20, 1865) where it was lot 2818 and sold for $37.00 (quite a high price for the time - remember this was only four years after the coin was struck) to a "Mr. French." It was described by Woodward as "Perfect Uncirculated. Said to be unique." The second known specimen is now in a prominent Dallas bank collection. This coin, earlier provenance unknown, was purchased by Paramount International Coin Corporation's European buyer, Paul Whittlin, in Paris in the mid-1960's for $7,500. It was authenticated by the U.S. Treasury Department (common practice in those days on incoming shipments of rare U.S. gold coins from Europe) and then sold to Ben Dreiske of RARCOA for $12,500. Ten years later it was sold into the Texas bank collection for a sum reportedly in excess of a quarter of a million dollars.