The 1927-D Double Eagle ($20 gold coin) is an exceptionally rare and valuable coin. Its rarity stems from the fact that most of the 180,000 coins minted at the Denver Mint in 1927 were held in government vaults and subsequently melted down after the 1933 gold confiscation act . Only a small number, estimated to be between 8 and 15, survived.
Due to this extreme rarity, the value of a 1927-D Double Eagle is very high.
- In circulated condition, its value is estimated to be between $900,000 and $950,000.
- However, in pristine, uncirculated condition, the coin can fetch significantly higher prices, reaching as much as $5,500,000 at auction. An example graded PCGS MS66 sold for $4,400,000 at a Heritage Auction in April 2022. Another, graded PCGS MS65+ CAC, was recently purchased by GreatCollections for $3.84 million.
It is important to note that the high value of the 1927-D Double Eagle makes it a target for counterfeiting. One common method is to add a ‘D’ mintmark to a 1927 Philadelphia-minted Double Eagle, which is much less valuable. It is highly recommended that any 1927-D Double Eagle be authenticated by a reputable coin grading service like PCGS or NGC to ensure its legitimacy.
Why is the $7.6 million double eagle coin so valuable?
The rarity of the 1933 Double Eagle only adds to its value. As one of the rarest U.S. coins in existence, its price at auction has gone through the roof. The most famous 1933 Double Eagle, which was sold at auction in 2002, fetched a staggering $7.6 million.
What is the rarest double eagle coin?
I can help with that. 1927-D Saint Gaudens Double Eagle. The 1927-D Saint Gaudens Double Eagle is today considered the premier U.S. gold rarity of the 20th century (aside from the 1933 $20, of which only one can be privately held).