Lot 1705
1866-S $20 Liberty. With motto. NGC graded AU-58. Breen-7222. All have a small S mintmark. "Prohibitively rare AU." Untoned. Very scarce date in high grade.An incredibly smooth and delicately lustrous example of this rare No Motto design, and a benchmark for other examples that share About Uncirculated 58 grade. This is something of a transition year where the mint, before receiving the new IN GOD WE TRUST reverses from the Philadelphia Mint, went ahead and struck a small number of $20 gold pieces from the Type 1 reverse (without motto). The strike is bold and crisp on this piece, unlike some that come to market from time to time that are not quite so full. As such it stands head and shoulders above the others, with nothing left to the viewer's imagination. The photographs reveal all; and what they reveal is a very splendid example of this key issue. Pop 129; 35 finer, 16 in 60, 18 in 61, 1 in 62 (PCGS # 8950) .
There is a thin, extensive die crack on the obverse connecting several stars and just touching the highest pearl on Liberty's coronet of 13 pearls.
Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,000.
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| Realized $9,775 |
