Rich orange-gold surfaces with heavily frosted motifs and deeply mirrored fields. Strike detail remains virtually full throughout the design, and it is mostly a plethora of small and moderate-size handling marks that explains the Proof-58 grade from NGC. Still a visually appealing coin, a significant rarity as a Proof Liberty Head twenty irrespective of date, and of the utmost desirability given the key date status of the circulation strike 1891 Philadelphia Mint double eagle.

The Philadelphia Mint produced just 52 Proof double eagles in 1891 using a single pair of dies that have recently become known as JD-1 (John W. Dannreuther, 2018). As with all issues in the Proof Liberty Head double eagle series, the 1891 is a major numismatic rarity at all levels of preservation. Dannreuther estimates that only 18 to 22 coins are extant, an estimate that is actually a bit higher than those of contemporary Proof double eagle issues with similar mintages. The reason for this, in Dannreuther's words:

The 1,390 mintage of the circulation strikes [from the Philadelphia Mint that year] makes date pressure the primary reason that more 1891 Proofs have survived than for 1890 that had an almost identical production. This is a common theme for all United States issues with low circulation strike outputs. Collectors would not spend a Proof issue if they knew that other collectors would pay a premium for their coins or they could not easily replace their Proof with a commercial strike.

Now as then, the low mintage and key date status of the circulation strike 1891 double eagle keeps demand for the surviving Proofs high among advanced gold enthusiasts.

Of course, the Proof 1891 is an impressive rarity in its own right with examples seldom appearing on the market. This is a particularly interesting offering in that it is for a coin whose appearance suggests a course of action virtually ruled out by Dannreuther's argument, as quoted above. Indeed, the surfaces are highly suggestive of a coin that was released into commercial channels and spent decades being moved from vault to vault in a bag with circulation strike double eagles. It survived nonetheless, and has come down to the present day retaining irrefutable evidence of its Proof status. The opportunity to acquire any Proof $20 of this date deserves serious bidder consideration, and we expect keen interest in this ex Fairmont Collection specimen.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

All winning lots will be shipped domestically via FEDEX, United States Postal Service, or DHL. Please note: A delivery confirmation shipment will be required for all orders. Delivery methods depend on the value of the shipment (for insurance purposes). All orders sent via Priority or Express require a signature confirmation. Please refer to the chart below to see how your winning lots will be shipped. Once your order has shipped, we will send you an email containing the order tracking information.

Total Value of Shipment Shipping Method
$1-$299 First Class
$300-$24,999 Priority or 2-Day
$25,000-$199,999 Express or Overnight
$200,000+ Contact us for Special Arrangements
Chart applies to U.S. addresses only -- items shipped to international addresses from the United States will be delivered via Fed Ex and items shipped from our Hong Office will be delivered via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover.

If you would like your order shipped domestically via FedEx, please contact our Client Services department at (800) 458-4646. Additional charges may apply.

• How much do you charge for shipping and handling?

Within the United States: All orders are shipped via USPS. All orders will have the following postage and insurance charges in addition to a $.50 handling charge per lot added to the purchase price:

Invoice Amount Postage & Insurance
Up to $299 $12.00
$300- $499 $17.00
$500- $999 $20.00
$1000- $2499 $24.00
$2500- $4999 $27.00
$5000- $9999 $30.00
$10000- $14999 $40.00
$15000- $19999 $45.00
$20000- $24999 $50.00
$25000- $49999 $75.00
$50000- $74999 $100.00
$75000- $99999 $125.00
$100000- $249999 $250.00
$250000+ $400.00


All international orders (including Canada and Mexico) shipped from the United States will be shipped via Fedex or UPS depending on the destination country. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. For shipments from our Hong Kong office via EMS, please refer to the Hong Kong Auction section.

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $2,500 $50.00
$2,501-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$100,000 $75.00
$100,001-$200,000 $125.00
$200,001+ $500 or Contact us for Special Arrangements


All orders shipped from the Hong Kong, China Office are shipped via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. The following countries have EMS coverage: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Our international shipping rates will apply to countries not covered by EMS. If you have special shipping requests from our Hong Kong, China Office, please contact [email protected].

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $300 $35.00
$301-$1,000 $40.00
$1,001-$2,000 $45.00
$2,001-$3,000 $50.00
$3,001-$5,000 $55.00
$5,001-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$25,000 $70.00
$25,001-$50,000 $80.00
$50,001-$75,000 $90.00
$75,001-$100,000 $100.00
$100,000-$200,000 $125.00
$200,000+ $500.00 or Contact us for Special Arrangements

by Stack's Bowers Galleries
June 16, 2026 12:00 PM PDT
1550 Scenic Ave
Suite 150
Costa Mesa, CA, US 92626

Stack's Bowers Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $20
$100 $199 $20
$200 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 $999,999 $50,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000