1863-S $20 Gold Coin

[mountainplayer]

Hi All,

I did not find this coin (sniff, sniff).

It was found by my co-workers mom while digging bottles. The coin was inside of a leather pouch, which accounts for its excellent condition. The story goes that her husband was leaning against a tree taking a break, and drinking a beer, when it popped out of the ground. He took one look, and proceeded to dig up the rest of the hill.

I looked at PCGS and my heart almost stopped when I saw the values. They provide a photo of this coin in MS-61 condition, and I swear, my friends' coin looks to be in far better shape.

I'm asking for your help in approximating a grade and value. I am a newbie at this and would really appreciate your opinions.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. The photos are the best my camera can do, even on macro.

****************
Update:
When I posted this, I forgot to mention that the designer initials(?) are crisp and clearly visible at the base of Liberty's neck. Might be tough to see in these photos, but it jumped right out at me when I first saw the coin.
*******************

MP

 

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[bootstrap vinn]

PLayah,what the heck man?My heart was in my throat thinking you found that thing Any way that is a very nice specimin and although I'm not an expert I would probably give that an AU55-AU58.It doesn't really appear to show any wear but there are a few dings possibly bag marks.I do not believe any coin that has been buried would ever pull an MS designation but I could be wrong.It also appears to be wrapped in a bezel and if its brazed to it anywhere that would also decrease the value.Still a beeeautiful piece and I'm jealous that you got to hold that baby in your hand!! Tell your friend congrats for me.
Later Bootstrap

 

[xlt nh]

.............................................Sorry, I passed out there for a moment....

Holy Crap...what a find...Congrats to the bottle digger and thanks MPlayer for sharing!!!

HH, Hank 8)

 

[t-bucket]

Its not in good shape and if you want 20.00 for it just e-mail me Ill prouble take a loss but will take a chance.HA HA That prouble the best one I have ever seen,I wouldnt sell it for no price,that is a once in a life time find.

 

[mountainplayer]

Bootstrap - I was tempted to title this post "Hey Boot, I finally found gold!" but I thought that would be too cruel a trick to play on a nice Maynah such as yourself. This was the first time I've ever handled a gold coin and I was blown away by the weight. The bezel is separate and can be removed from the coin. Thanks for the grading info, bud.

xlt - sorry for your temporary loss of consciousness. I felt a little light headed myself when I saw it. Its an amazing feeling to hold a coin like this one.

MP

 

[rhedden]

Assuming it's authentic and undamaged, it would fetch anywhere from about $3,500 for an AU-58 on up to $20,000 for an MS-63. I would guess MS-62 based on the photo, but grading coins from photos is really difficult. It should be submitted to PCGS or NGC for grading and authentication, regardless of whether you want to sell it or not, for insurance purposes if nothing else. It should definitely NOT be sold to any interested party before knowing its certified grade. I hope the rim of the coin was not damaged by the bezel. It should be professionally removed from the bezel prior to submitting it for grading.

 

[tutorus]

Hello People,
this is my first post. I've been hanging here for a long time. never decided to register until today since i got shocked with that double eagle $ 20.00 coin. I am an amateur coin collector and fed up of bidding and buying coins. i just came up to realize that what you detector guys do, is more exciting and smart.
So, I want to become one.
In regard of this gold coin, in my humble opinion considering the year of minting and the almost perfect shape, if the border is not dent it's grade may be MS63, the price should be more than $30,000.00 according to the red book of 2006, the gold spot price for today is $803.80. so you do the math.
Thank you,
Tutorus

 

[halfdime]

What a beautiful coin! I held a fiver a few months back; I'd love to just feel what the twenty feels like.

 

[teverly]

That one would definately get graded ,slabbed and put in a safe!!!!
Beautiful coin!!!

 

[teverly]

Hello People,
this is my first post. I've been hanging here for a long time. never decided to register until today since i got shocked with that double eagle $ 20.00 coin. I am an amateur coin collector and fed up of bidding and buying coins. i just came up to realize that what you detector guys do, is more exciting and smart.
So, I want to become one.
In regard of this gold coin, in my humble opinion considering the year of minting and the almost perfect shape, if the border is not dent it's grade may be MS63, the price should be more than $30,000.00 according to the red book of 2006, the gold spot price for today is $803.80. so you do the math.
Thank you,
Tutorus

Most of us are in this hobby for the history and excitement of the finds.Not because we want to find good goins cheap>>does that make sense??

 

[The Beep Goes On]

What an awesome coin! It appears that the rim may have a ding...or is that something else?

PCGS # Description VF EF AU 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
8939 1863 1500 1850 6500 15000 20000 32500 44000 57500 - -

HH!
TBGO

 

[snook]

Oh, I don't know..... I like finding good CHEAP coins.

 

[stefen]

What an awesome coin! It appears that the rim may have a ding...or is that something else?

PCGS # Description VF EF AU 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
8939 1863 1500 1850 6500 15000 20000 32500 44000 57500 - -

HH!
TBGO

Looks like its contained in a bezel...take a second look

 

[The Beep Goes On]

What an awesome coin! It appears that the rim may have a ding...or is that something else?

PCGS # Description VF EF AU 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
8939 1863 1500 1850 6500 15000 20000 32500 44000 57500 - -

HH!
TBGO

Looks like its contained in a bezel...take a second look

Yeah, that's what I was thinking...

 

[Moonshadow]

HOLY CRAP!!!

 

[weasel606]

man what an awesome coin

 

[rockyredbaron]

I agree with the other posts..send it to PCGS or NGC for professional grading. they will encapsulate it in a holder, airtight and once its graded, put it in a SAFETY DEPOSIT box !!! LOL seriously !!! you will be very pleasantly surprised at the final grading and value... and...DONT SELL IT !!!! they aren't making any more 1863S 20 dollar gold coins !!! thats probably the best found coin I've ever seen..

HH to all

 

[Boobydoo]

Wow MP!!! Truely in my opinion, one of the most treasured finds a TH'er could dream of.
Thanks for sharing.

I did have a lead on a Double Eagle once but never managed to find it and now that land is a subdivision so some unsuspecting homeowner has this thing buried in his back yard. It was a horse riding stable and one of the riders had it as a pendant and lost it riding somewhere on the 200 acres. I spent hundreds of hours searching the horse trails and found lots of goodies but not that. It was nice to be reminded of those days.

Golden smiles!
BDoo

 

[oldhippiecoinhntr]

Hello all! Mountainplayer, what part of country was this coin found? I am not sure what I would do if I found such a coin?? Keep? Sell? Decisions, Decisions? I find it hard to even spend the clads I find. I just keep filling jugs with them, and set them in office corner. Havent spent any of them, or sold anything.

To me finding a gold coin, any gold coin would be like the holy grail of metal detecting/coin hunting! Then I read here on Tnt, of the guys who have found several or many. But quess I do see some have taken years of hunting to do so. And I have been hunting less than a year. I quess I will have to pay my dues to get on the gold coin band wagon.

I would note though, that some parts of the USA are more likely to have certain types of coins, than other parts of the country. I note all the coins of 1700 and 1800's are found out east, west, and even in parts of ohio vally and nearby states. Thus more of a likelyhood, of those early coins, and gold ones.

Here in the northern regions of Minn, in the great icebox of the US, where long johns are considered summer fashion, coins/gold didnt get to this part of country till Count Beltrami, and the lumberjacks to follow came to settle here. Northern Minn seemed to be one of the last frontiers. That didnt happen till just prior to 1900, when coinage and other artifacts escaped the owners clutchs and hid in the ground to be found by a younger generation. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. There is still many coins found, and to be found, just not the very early ones. I would never leave a late Morgan dollar in a plug, or sneer at a Barber silver quarter! Happy to add those to my hoarde of ground souvenirs. And there is the rare instance of gold coinage found here. I dont know the particulars, but a friend who lives near the canadian border near Rainy River, told me of a coin hunter near him, who found a $2.50 dollar gold coin under a cloths line, at an old homestead near him ( I have had good luck finding coins under cloths lines).So, there is hope for me after all !! I will keep the dectector to the ground!!

And to you hunters in early settled area's of the US, keep up the search, and post your finds!!! Reading about them, I dont get jealous, maybe envious, but certainly am motivated by your good fortune, to go out and find my own fantastic finds!!! I used to travel across the USA a lot from 1979 thru 1997, but was oblivious to getting a detector. Had I had one with me, I can only imagine the places I might have hunted. Oh well, better late than never. Even though I have been metal detecting less than a year..............Its is officially my number one free time activity!!! I am approaching it as if it is a vocation. My doctor tells me to get rid of stress.................and when I have the detector to the ground.......................hey, I am enjoying life. It isnt the finds I enjoy the most, its the 'finding of the finds' thats the pleasure.

You want to know how serious I am about metal detecting?? I recently bought a 1985 Astro van w/18,000 actual miles, from a friend ( traded him some steel wheels for tractor for it), to turn into a metal detecting van. I am going to equip to haul all my equipment, and also have room for up to 3 friends to take along. The best part of detecting I found, is to go with a friend or two. Also, I can take trips for several days, useing the van like a coin safari headqaurters. Another great thing about this hobby, cultivate and nuture friendships. If ANY of you folks come this way, contact me and I will glady take you with on a hunt.

 

[nc-joe]

As noted above, have a profession remove the bezel, if you so much as nick or scratch the coin, it will loose $10,000. I hope the reeded edge has not been damaged or flatted by the bezel!

Excelleny find, appears MS61-63, minor bag marks are typical of lower grade uncirculate coins.

DON'T CLEAN IT! AND WEAR COTTON GLOVES WHEN HANDLING IT!! (finger prints and oils from your skin will damage the surface)