1913 SANDBLAST PROOF DOUBLE EAGLE

Records indicate that the Philadelphia Mint struck 99 Proof double eagles in 1913, though just 58 coins were distributed due to the declining interest in the Matte, Roman and Sandblast finishes used since 1907. The finish used to strike the 1913 issue is actually unique within the Proof Saint-Gaudens double eagle series, being a bit coarser than the Proof 1911 and Proof 1912, yet a bit finer than on the typical Proof 1914 and Proof 1915. We are delighted to feature a superior example of this 1913 Sandblast Proof double eagle in the Rarities Night session of our March 2020 Baltimore Auction. Certified Proof-66 by NGC, it ranks as the sole finest example to receive approval from CAC.

Survival estimates for the 1913 Proof double eagle have evolved significantly over the past several decades, as more examples have emerged from old collections and it has been studied in detail by scholars. In 1988, gold specialist David Akers remarked that "Proofs of 1913 are very rare; at most 20-25 are known." Q. David Bowers was more conservative when writing in 2004, suggesting that only 12 to 15 coins survived. The most recent research by John Dannreuther (2018) indicates that 35 to 45 distinct specimens remain, though most of these are in grades of Proof-65 and lower. At Proof-66 (NGC), this piece is significant, with only 14 coins certified finer by NGC.

To read the complete article, see:
Gem Sandblast Proof 1913 Double Eagle Featured in our March 2020 Baltimore Auction (https://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/Blogs.aspx?ArticleID=sandblast-proof-1913-saint-gaudens)

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