1869 $20.00 PCGS AU55

The 1869 is in the second-tier of Type Two Philadelphia double eagle scarcity along with the 1870 and 1871. This issue is not often seen choicer than AU55 to AU58 and it is seldom found with original color and choice surfaces. This fresh example has lovely rich natural orange-gold and rose color with some darker highlights from bag storage. There are just a few small marks on both sides and I have seen a number of inferior 1869 double eagles graded AU58. No PCGS AU55 examples of the 1869 double eagle have appeared at auction since Heritage 1/10: 4127 and that example realized $4,025. This date becomes very expensive as you go up the grading ladder and for most collectors a solid AU55 such as this will fit well into their Type Two set.