***Major Highlight*** ULTRA RARE! 1853 900 Thous $20 U.S. Assay Office ms63+ SEGS. A beautiful, conditionally rare example of this popular type that is sure to appeal to high grade Territorial gold type collectors. Satiny in texture with handsome medium gold patina, both sides are fully defined with an exceptionally well executed strike. Predominantly smooth in appearance, fully Choice in quality, and destined for inclusion in an advanced gold cabinet.This is one of the most frequently encountered types in the privately minted California Gold Rush coinage series of the late 1840s and 1850s. The United States Assay Office of Gold under Curtis, Perry and Ward struck 2.5 million 900 THOUS $20 gold pieces from the beginning of March to the end of October, 1853. The coins were widely distributed, with many finding their way into circulation on the West Coast and others being shipped back to the Eastern United States as gold bullion. Thirty different dies were used to produce this high mintage issue, and they survived until destroyed by fires caused by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. One of the nicest examples for the grade that we have ever handled, this coin will undoubtedly sell for a strong premium. The U.S. Assay Office gold pieces are normally included in the Territorial and private mint gold coinage of the early West, but in reality the pieces are neither Territorial nor private. The U.S. Assay Office was the forerunner of what would in 1854 become the San Francisco Mint, which began producing quarter eagles, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles in that year. When legislation was passed that required all Assay Office coinage to conform to the Mint Act of 1837, the effect was to have the older dies, with a listed fineness of 880 THOUS, repunched with 900 over the 880. All the pieces made by the U.S. Assay Office are of the 900 over 880 variety, but the undertype 880 fades over time. The 900 fine pieces were coined from March 1 to Oct. 30, 1853, with a total production of about 2.5 million pieces. Those dies, perhaps 30 in all, were destroyed in the San Francisco Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906, which ironically left the San Francisco Mint standing amid the rubble of hundreds of other nearby buildings. A Key Date's Pick, Bid to Win, Don't let it get Away, you might not find its equal Coin. I give this coin my highest recommendation
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