1853 "884" U.S. Assay Office Gold Double Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$176,250 MS63 04-23-2014 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1853 U.S. Assay Office gold double eagle with 884 fineness is among the final issues produced by the assay operation before the San Francisco Mint opened for business in April 1854. The 884 fineness indicates gold slightly below the federal standard of 900, a holdover from the refining limitations that had characterized California gold processing from the beginning. This twenty-dollar piece served as a workhorse denomination for California’s commercial economy during the final months of the territorial gold era. By 1853, the infrastructure for a full federal mint was under construction in San Francisco, and the Assay Office was operating in what amounted to a caretaker role for the monetary system. The 884 fineness variety is distinguished from the contemporaneous 900 fineness version, with the lower fineness piece generally considered slightly scarcer. Both varieties circulated interchangeably, as the gold content difference was minimal.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The 884 fineness double eagle is scarcer than the 900 fineness version. Approximately 40-60 examples survive.

Cross References

PCGS #10010; NGC #31108; U.S. Assay Office of Gold, San Francisco; 884 fineness