1927-S Saint Gaudens Gold Double Eagle NGC MS64
Jack McNamara's Live Auction Featured Coin
Thursday, October 5th, 2023
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- Mintage: 3,107,000
- NGC Population: 14/11
- PCGS Population: 10/11
- CU Price Guide: $150,000
- Finest Known: MS67 (3) – One last traded in 2020, for approx. $265,000
- Since then, a MS66 sold earlier this year for approx. $325,000 & a MS65 for approx. $250,000.
- Today, one of the three finest known examples in MS67 condition is expected to cost closer to $500,000.
- In 2022, there were at least two known sales for a MS64 1927-S $20 trading for the current asking price of $114,000.
- With a relatively high mintage and respective population in higher grades, at first glance many may overlook the 1927-S in the Saint Gaudens series, but not the advanced collector.
- Those who collect and have detailed knowledge of the Saint Gaudens series understand that the 1927-S $20 is SCARCE IN ALL GRADES and one of the rarest dates in the series in MS64 and finer.
- Although population records suggest there are roughly two dozen in MS64 condition and nearly another two dozen finer, the reality is that the true number is likely far lower.
- Prior to recent sales over the last year or two, in MS64 condition a 1927-S $20 had not been seen on the open market for more than half a decade. The same can be said for higher grades.
- Other than the PCGS MS66 example recently selling in 2023, for approx. $325,000 another PCGS specimen had not sold since 2010.
- History indicates its more likely that collectors come across a 1927-S $20 in MS64 every 3-5 years instead of every 1-2 years.
- In fact, virtually every post-WWII San Francisco double eagle is considered scarce, especially in Gem (MS65) condition!
- The table of NGC & PCGS Census Data below helps illustrate the sheer difficulty of acquiring S-Mint $20s in higher grades:
- The only dates with a smaller surviving population in all grades than the 1927-S $20 are the 1920-S $20 & 1930-S $20.
- CU Price Guide in MS64 for the 1920-S $20 & 1930-S $20 are $225,000 & $300,000 respectively
- Similar to the 1927-S $20 there are two dozen MS64 specimens for the 1930-S and actually more certified in higher grades than the 1927-S $20!
- This speaks to the grave importance of not only conditional rarity but also absolute rarity, which can be said about nearly every later date S-Mint Saint.
- When it comes to the Saint Gaudens series as a whole, the 1927-S $20 sits in between the 1929-P & 1932-P in regards to rarity in MS64 condition.
- Here is how they compare:
- 1927-S $20 MS64
- Mintage: 3,107,000
- NGC Population: 14/11
- PCGS Population: 10/11
- CU Price Guide: $150,000
- 1929-P $20 MS64
- Mintage: 1,779,750
- NGC Population: 98/36
- PCGS Population: 61/6
- CU Price Guide: $90,000
- 1932-P $20 MS64
- Mintage: 1,101,750 (about 100 known)
- NGC Population: 21/24
- PCGS Population: 34/42
- CU Price Guide: $175,000
- Four 1929-P $20s in MS64 have traded in the last two years for an average price of $70,500
- Two 1932-P $20s in MS64 have traded in the last two years for an average price of $138,000
