1857-S $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle, 20B PCGS MS63 Ex. SS Central America

The exclusive PCGS ‘Gold Foil Label’ holder informs you that this example is from the first retrieval mission of the tragic remains of the SS Central America (SSCA). The Gold Foil label is an important pedigree for collectors of shipwrecked gold coins. This is the 20B (Bold S) variety. Owning this coin would make a numismatist proud. PCGS has graded 165 examples of the 20B variety as MS63 in the Gold Foil Label holder with 674 finer. Collectors Universe gives this variety a price of $10,000.00 in MS63.

Painting of the Wreck of the Central America, 1857. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Gold specialist Doug Winter writes of the 1857-S double eagle: "This is a well-struck issue. The hair detail on the obverse is sharp with many of the curls and the strands at the top of Liberty’s head showing individual definition. The stars usually have full radial lines and the denticles are sharp and clear. On the reverse, there is usually some minor weakness on the tips of the wings, but the overall detail is excellent with detail not seen on most Type One issues from the San Francisco mint. The coins from the S.S. Central America are generally well-struck and show better overall detail than the coins which are not from this hoard."