Liberty Head $20 Gold Type 1 Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1850-1866)

The early "No Motto" Double Eagles (1850-1866) contain two ultra rarities that will require a substantial outlay to acquire in virtually any grade. The 1854-O and 1856-O are the twin dates that make completing this set possible for only a few. Mint state examples of these are virtually unknown, so a decent AU is about as good as one could hope for. Most of the other New Orleans issues from the 1855-1861 period are also very tough, and Uncirculated examples are all ultra rare. Only a handful of dates in this entire series can be really called common in Mint State; notably the 1856-S and 1857-S by virtue of the S.S. Central America find, the 1865-S from the Brother Jonathan, and the 1861-P by virtue of its rather high mintage of almost 3 million pieces.