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Images courtesy of Heritage
Numismatic Auctions
Notes:
The
1884 $20 is one of the classic rarities in the Liberty Head series and one
of only three Proof-only dates (along with 1883 and 1887).
The mintage of only 71 Proofs makes it the rarest Proof-only Double
Eagle date. An estimated
10-15 examples survive.
The
cameo frosting on all known examples has an uneven appearance, labeled a
“peculiar color discontinuity” by Breen, with some areas more
heavily frosted than others.
PCGS
and NGC have graded only 16 examples, split evenly between them.
PCGS reports 1 PR-60, 2 in PR-63, 4 in PR-64, and 1 in PR-65 Deep
Cameo. NGC shows 2 in PR-63
Cameo, 5 in PR-64 Cameo, and 1 in PR-66 Cameo.
Since
1994, collectors have had less than one chance per year to purchase this
date at auction and a surprisingly high percentage of those that have
appeared at auction were “raw” (uncertified).
The
price record for this date is the $149,500 paid for the NGC PR-66 Cameo in
January 2004.
The finest Proof 1884
Double Eagles graded by NGC is a single PR-66 Cameo.
The finest Proof 1884
Double Eagles graded by PCGS are four PR-64's.
The finest Proof Deep
Cameo 1884 Double Eagle graded by PCGS is a single PRDC-65.
Significant examples:
Proof (illustrated above).
Ex - Trompeter collection
Sources and/or recommended
reading:
"The PCGS Population Report, April 2004" by The Professional
Coin Grading Service
"The NGC Census",
April 2004 by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
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