Liberty Head $20 1861 S $20 MS

NGC Universal ID: 269K

Coin Information

1861 S $20 MS
Obverse
1861 S $20 MS
Reverse
  • Category: Liberty Head $20 (1850-1907)
  • Mint: San Francisco
  • Mintage: 768,000
  • Obverse Designer: James B. Longacre
  • Reverse Designer: James B. Longacre
  • Composition: Gold
  • Fineness: 0.9
  • Weight: 33.44g
  • AGW: 0.9675oz
  • Melt Value: $3220.73 (7/29/2025)
  • 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.

1861 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
$3375 $3375 $3375 $3375 $3400 $3400 $3400 $4000 $4150 $4350 $4500 $4750 $5500 $8000 $9750 $16500 $18000 $21500 $25000 $35000 $42500 $62500
00013924001020176018411571801704010000000000000

12/3/09 - NGC
$1437.50
Lot# 9006 - HA

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10/28/20 - PCGS Genuine
$2160.00
Lot# 27712 - HA

8/5/14 - NGC Details
$1703.75
Lot# 8738 - HA

1/9/13 - NGC
$2062.13
Lot# 13316 - HA

2/2/12 - PCGS
$2070.00
Lot# 5026 - HA

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12/7/22 - PCGS
$3120.00
Lot# 21659 - HA

12/13/18 - NGC Details
$1680.00
Lot# 3889 - HA

9/7/17 - PCGS Genuine
$2052.00
Lot# 4975 - HA

4/26/17 - PCGS
$2724.83
Lot# 5538 - HA

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7/23/23 - NGC
$3240.00
Lot# 3994 - HA

1/15/23 - NGC
$2760.00
Lot# 4300 - HA

12/7/19 - NGC
$2340.00
Lot# 4315 - HA

7/14/19 - NGC
$2343.60
Lot# 3883 - HA

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8/9/20 - NGC
$3120.00
Lot# 3525 - HA

9/8/19 - NGC
$2880.00
Lot# 4287 - HA

8/21/19 - NGC
$3240.00
Lot# 25964 - HA

8/2/17 - PCGS
$3995.00
Lot# 5871 - HA

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7/14/19 - PCGS
$4680.00
Lot# 3884 - HA

7/14/19 - PCGS
$6000.00
Lot# 3226 - HA

7/12/18 - PCGS
$6000.00
Lot# 3258 - HA

7/12/18 - PCGS
$4800.00
Lot# 3259 - HA

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10/29/15 - PCGS Genuine
$3525.00
Lot# 3616 - HA

7/7/11 - NGC
$12075.00
Lot# 5015 - HA

1/1/07 - NGC
$8797.50
Lot# 6692 - DL

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8/9/20 - NGC
$15000.00
Lot# 4032 - HA

4/25/19 - PCGS
$17400.00
Lot# 3919 - HA

12/13/18 - PCGS
$15600.00
Lot# 4328 - HA

8/2/17 - PCGS
$22912.50
Lot# 4195 - HA

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1/4/17 - NGC
$24675.00
Lot# 6002 - HA

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12/13/18 - NGC
$22200.00
Lot# 4329 - HA

1/8/14 - PCGS
$32900.00
Lot# 5528 - HA

10/22/09 - PCGS
$24725.00
Lot# 1679 - HA

5/28/08 - PCGS
$25300.00
Lot# 3579 - HA

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6/8/17 - PCGS
$32900.00
Lot# 3890 - HA

1/6/16 - PCGS
$29375.00
Lot# 5647 - HA

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1/3/12 - NGC
$37375.00
Lot# 5038 - HA

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2,433 2,433 2,433 2,555 2,699 2,936 3,076 3,126 3,163 3,238 3,334 3,525 3,730 4,141 4,777 6,048 6,305 6,820 7,200 7,960 8,715 10,226 10,396 10,735 10,911 11,263 11,479 11,912 12,138 12,589 12,824 13,294 13,626 14,290 15,340
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Description & Analysis

The first 19,250 double eagles coined in San Francisco early in 1861 had the special Paquet Reverse design. Once word was received to discontinue using that special reverse die, another 768,000 coins were minted with the normal Longacre reverse design. At the time they were struck, there were few if any collectors in San Francisco to preserve those coins, and virtually the entire mintage quietly slipped into the channels of commerce. The small number of Mint State coins known today, including the present example, survived purely as a matter of chance. For a denomination of such high value as a twenty dollar gold coin, the chance of survival is diminished further because of the significant face value of the coin. It was a lot of money at the time, and few could afford to have any similar pieces preserved for the future.

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

1861 S Liberty Head Value

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of July 2025, a Liberty Head from 1861 in circulated condition is worth between $3375 and $9750. However, on the open market 1861 S Double Eagles in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $62500.

Price Guide

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NGC US Coin Price Guide >

Census

NGC Grade Summary
  • Total Graded: 929
  • Low Grade: F
  • Average Grade: 50
  • High Grade: 63
Created with Highcharts 5.0.141397816210217618415781741FVF40455053555860616263050100150200250
NGC Census Detail
1861 S $20 MS Last updated 07/26/2025
 
BASE
TOTAL
 
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970 TOTAL
00013978162102176183156817410000000 927
0000000000000000000000 0
0000000001100000000000 2
0000000000000000000000 0
0 0 0 1 39 78 162 102 176 184 157 8 17 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 929
0%0%0%0%4%8%17%10%18%19%16%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
NGC US Coin Census >

NGC Registry

NGC Registry Score
1861 S $20 MS
 
BASE
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970
2,433 2,433 2,433 2,555 2,699 2,936 3,051 3,126 3,238 3,525 4,141 6,048 6,820 7,960 10,226 10,735 11,263 11,912 12,589 13,294 14,290 15,340 
2,433 2,433 2,474 2,603 2,778 2,974 3,076 3,163 3,334 3,730 4,777 6,305 7,200 8,715 10,396 10,911 11,479 12,138 12,824 13,626 14,640 16,107 
3,076 3,163 3,334 3,730 4,777 6,305 7,200 8,715 10,396 10,911 11,479 12,138 12,824 13,626 
3,101 3,201 3,429 3,936 5,412 6,563 7,580 9,471 10,565 11,087 11,696 12,363 13,059 13,958