Liberty Head $20 1854 S $20 MS

NGC Universal ID: 268U

Coin Information

1854 S $20 MS
Obverse
1854 S $20 MS
Reverse
  • Category: Liberty Head $20 (1850-1907)
  • Mint: San Francisco
  • Mintage: 141,468
  • Obverse Designer: James B. Longacre
  • Reverse Designer: James B. Longacre
  • Composition: Gold
  • Fineness: 0.9
  • Weight: 33.44g
  • AGW: 0.9675oz
  • Melt Value: $3002.17 (4/4/2025)
  • Diameter: 34mm
  • Edge: Reeded
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Grade Summary

View a summary of the NGC Price Guide, NGC Census, Auction Prices Realized and NGC Registry Scores for each grade.

1854 S $20 MS
 
NGC Price Guide
NGC Census
Auction Prices Realized
NGC Registry Score
Find it on eBay
PrAgGVGFVFXFXF+5050+5353+5555+5858+6060+6161+6262+6363+6464+6565+6666+6767+6868+6970
$3175 $3200 $2850 $3500 $7500 $13000 $13750 $15000 $15500 $17000 $18500 $25000 $26000 $27500 $30000 $33500 $35000 $40000 $42500 $47500 $52500 $65000 $70000 $95000 $125000 $200000
000246101803604402802050912321001000000000

8/5/14 - PCGS
$6462.50
Lot# 4068 - HA

9/5/12 - NGC
$2875.00
Lot# 2188 - GO

2/28/12 - PCGS
$5462.50
Lot# 7806 - SB

1/5/11 - NGC
$2760.00
Lot# 7219 - HA

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9/23/20 - PCGS Genuine
$5760.00
Lot# 27421 - HA

6/8/17 - NGC
$14100.00
Lot# 3879 - HA

10/8/14 - PCGS Genuine
$11162.50
Lot# 5049 - HA

6/4/14 - PCGS
$11750.00
Lot# 4898 - HA

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4/26/17 - NGC
$16450.00
Lot# 4311 - HA

10/2/15 - NGC
$14100.00
Lot# 82 - SB

7/9/15 - NGC
$14687.50
Lot# 3347 - HA

2/26/15 - PCGS
$21737.50
Lot# 3255 - HA

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8/9/20 - NGC
$16200.00
Lot# 4026 - HA

9/8/19 - NGC
$16200.00
Lot# 5030 - HA

11/2/17 - NGC
$16800.00
Lot# 16978 - HA

9/7/16 - PCGS
$16450.00
Lot# 5736 - HA

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4/26/17 - NGC
$21150.00
Lot# 4312 - HA

4/26/17 - NGC
$25850.00
Lot# 4313 - HA

4/27/16 - PCGS
$28200.00
Lot# 4816 - HA

11/14/14 - NGC
$28200.00
Lot# 3349 - HA

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8/2/17 - PCGS Genuine
$7637.50
Lot# 5853 - HA

4/27/16 - PCGS Genuine
$8225.00
Lot# 6013 - HA

8/12/15 - PCGS Genuine
$6462.50
Lot# 6340 - HA

8/5/14 - PCGS
$25850.00
Lot# 4069 - HA

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7/12/12 - PCGS
$32200.00
Lot# 5076 - HA

11/29/07 - PCGS
$21850.00
Lot# 61779 - HA

6/1/06 - PCGS
$9775.00
Lot# 3688 - HA

2/22/01 - NGC
$6440.00
Lot# 7081 - HA

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1/4/17 - PCGS
$35250.00
Lot# 5980 - HA

4/22/15 - PCGS
$45825.00
Lot# 5425 - HA

9/4/14 - NGC
$44062.50
Lot# 3469 - HA

3/20/14 - PCGS
$41125.00
Lot# 30415 - HA

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1/4/17 - NGC
$49350.00
Lot# 5981 - HA

8/5/14 - PCGS
$44062.50
Lot# 5687 - HA

2/15/10 - NGC
$23000.00
Lot# 3920 - SB

3/1/06 - PCGS
$18975.00
Lot# 2003 - HA

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8/6/14 - PCGS
$70500.00
Lot# 12010 - SB

1/5/11 - NGC
$40250.00
Lot# 5247 - HA

10/22/09 - NGC
$34500.00
Lot# 1647 - HA

12/8/04 - PCGS
$19550.00
Lot# 6837 - HA

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1/3/12 - NGC
$83375.00
Lot# 5031 - HA

10/23/08 - PCGS
$115000.00
Lot# 3013 - HA

9/26/98 - PCGS
$29900.00
Lot# 7294 - HA

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2,436 2,525 2,614 2,936 3,525 5,158 5,884 5,965 6,085 6,324 6,489 6,820 6,986 7,317 7,355 7,431 7,763 8,428 8,697 9,234 9,565 10,226 10,413 10,788 11,504 12,937 13,177 13,656 13,906 14,405 14,664 15,183 15,549 16,281 17,437
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Description & Analysis

Treasure recovered in the late 1970s from the S.S. Yankee Blade shipwreck yielded a couple of hundred 1854-S double eagles, including many high grade examples, according to the Garrett-Guth reference on U.S. gold coinage. The same authors relate that the salvaged coins have surfaces that are 'lightly etched from exposure to seawater.'

Description and Analysis courtesy of Heritage Auctions and may not be republished without written permission.

1854 S Liberty Head Value

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2025, a Liberty Head from 1854 in circulated condition is worth between $3175 and $30000. However, on the open market 1854 S Double Eagles in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $200000.

Price Guide

Census

NGC Grade Summary
  • Total Graded: 240
  • Low Grade: F
  • Average Grade: 53
  • High Grade: 65
Created with Highcharts 5.0.142419421836442825923101FVF4045505355586061626364650102030405060
NGC Census Detail
1854 S $20 MS Last updated 04/02/2025
 
BASE
TOTAL
 
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970 TOTAL
000241942183644282582110100000 240
0000000000000000000000 0
0000000000000120000000 3
0000000000000000000000 0
0 0 0 2 4 19 42 18 36 44 28 2 5 9 23 10 1 0 0 0 0 0 243
0%0%0%1%2%8%17%7%15%18%12%1%2%4%9%4%0%0%0%0%0%0%
NGC US Coin Census >

NGC Registry

NGC Registry Score
1854 S $20 MS
 
BASE
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970
2,436 2,525 2,614 2,936 3,525 5,158 5,843 5,965 6,324 6,820 7,317 7,431 8,428 9,234 10,226 10,788 12,937 13,656 14,405 15,183 16,281 17,437 
2,466 2,555 2,721 3,132 4,069 5,386 5,884 6,085 6,489 6,986 7,355 7,763 8,697 9,565 10,413 11,504 13,177 13,906 14,664 15,549 16,666 18,309 
5,884 6,085 6,489 6,986 7,355 7,763 8,697 9,565 10,413 11,504 13,177 13,906 14,664 15,549 
5,924 6,204 6,655 7,151 7,393 8,096 8,965 9,895 10,601 12,221 13,416 14,155 14,924 15,915