1852 1852/1 Humbert Gold Double Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$325,000 PR65 03-01-1980 Bowers & Ruddy

Description

The 1852/1 Augustus Humbert twenty-dollar gold piece bears the same overdate characteristic found on the companion eagle, with the date modified from 1851 to 1852. The double eagle brought Humbert’s operation into direct competition with federal twenty-dollar gold pieces from Philadelphia and New Orleans. The round format and conventional denominations aligned more closely with federal standards, reflecting the gradual normalization of California’s monetary system as federal oversight expanded. The 1852/1 overdate on the double eagle attracts both territorial gold specialists and overdate enthusiasts. By 1852, demand for practical denominations was outstripping demand for the unwieldy fifty-dollar pieces, driving diversification of output.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The overdate double eagle is scarcer than the overdate eagle. Approximately 30-50 examples survive.

Cross References

K-12 (Kagin); PCGS #10193; NGC #31095; Augustus Humbert, U.S. Assay Office; 1852/1 overdate