GreatCollections Offers Rare 1864 Double Eagle Certified by NGC

A rare 1864 Proof Double Eagle certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) is poised to realize over half a million dollars in a sale this month. The coin is being offered by online auction house GreatCollections, with bidding ending on September 25, 2022. Bidding had already surpassed $450,000 on September 22.

1864 Double Eagle graded NGC PF 65 Ultra Cameo Click images to enlarge.

The Double Eagle was introduced as the highest-denomination US coin in 1850 and the first Proofs were issued in 1859. NGC Price Guide data shows that the first few years of Proofs, roughly overlapping with the economic hardship during the Civil War (1861-1865), are the most eagerly sought by collectors today.

The 1864 Proof Double Eagle is seldom seen at auctions, and only a fraction of the coin's reported mintage of 50 is believed to survive today. The NGC Population Report counts a mere 10 coins certified by NGC, and only half of them have the highly desirable Ultra Cameo designation that the example in the GreatCollections sale has.