Stunning 1888 Proof Double Eagle Just Led a $12.4 Million Coin Auction
An 1888 Proof Liberty Head Double Eagle delivered the defining moment of Heritage Auctions’ 2026 Summer FUN U.S. Coins Signature Auction.
The spectacular gold rarity, graded PR64 Deep Cameo by PCGS, sold for $170,800. It led the July 16-18 auction to a total of $12,400,954.
Moreover, the result established a new auction record for an 1888 Double Eagle in the PR64 Deep Cameo grade.
Heritage offered more than 1,400 lots during the three-day event. The auction covered nearly every major area of American numismatics. However, rare U.S. gold dominated the highest prices.
An 1861-S Paquet Reverse Double Eagle graded AU55 by NGC claimed second place at $128,100. Meanwhile, a rare 1930-S Indian Eagle reached $112,850.
Together, these results showed that collectors still compete aggressively for elite gold coins with rarity, strong eye appeal, and important historical backgrounds.
The 1888 Proof Double Eagle Commands the Spotlight
The Philadelphia Mint produced either 102 or 105 Proof Double Eagles in 1888. Today, experts estimate that only 20 to 25 examples survive across all grades.
That small population places the issue among the great Proof gold rarities of the Gilded Age.
The auction coin featured glassy orange-gold fields around richly frosted design elements. In addition, its smooth, watery mirrors created bold contrast under direct light.
That surface quality matters.
Some 1888 Proof Double Eagles display an “orange-peel” texture. Differences during planchet annealing likely caused that effect. However, the Heritage coin avoided the coarse texture that appears on several other survivors.
Deep Cameo examples remain especially difficult to locate. In fact, the auction coin ranks as one of only four examples certified at PR64 Deep Cameo.
“This is exactly the kind of coin advanced collectors hope to find: rare, visually commanding and exceptionally well-preserved,” said Heritage Auctions President Greg Rohan. “The 1888 proof double eagle represents the Liberty Head series at its artistic best, and its result reflects the enduring demand for elite proof gold.”
Rohan also pointed to the broader strength of the rare gold market and Heritage’s position within it.
The 1861-S Paquet Double Eagle Survives a Failed Mint Experiment
The 1861-S Paquet Reverse Double Eagle from The Fudd Collection brought $128,100.
The coin, graded AU55 by NGC, represents one of the most fascinating design experiments in United States coinage.
Assistant Engraver Anthony C. Paquet redesigned the double eagle reverse for the 1861 production year. His design used tall lettering and a narrower border than the standard James B. Longacre reverse.
However, Philadelphia Mint officials quickly rejected the design. They feared that the narrow rim would fail to protect the coin from wear and damage.
The Mint then ordered its branch facilities to stop production. Yet communication moved slowly across the country.
By the time the cancellation reached San Francisco, the branch mint had already struck 19,250 Paquet Reverse Double Eagles.
Experts estimate that approximately 200 survive today.
Most display weak strikes and extensive contact marks. In contrast, The Fudd Collection coin showed minimal bagmarks and nearly complete feather detail on the reverse. It also ranked among the finer surviving examples.
The issue holds a place in the celebrated 100 Greatest U.S. Coins.
1930-S Indian Eagle Sets Another Grade Record
Another major coin from The Fudd Collection, a 1930-S Indian Eagle graded MS64+ by PCGS and approved by CAC, realized $112,850.
The price set a new auction record for the issue in the MS64+ grade.
The San Francisco Mint produced 96,000 Indian Eagles in 1930. However, reports indicate that the government melted as many as 95,000 after 1933.
Most branch mint eagles and double eagles struck after 1916 remained inside Treasury vaults. Consequently, they never entered regular circulation.
The government destroyed many of those coins during the late 1930s.
That mass melting left the 1920-S and 1930-S among the greatest rarities in the Indian Head Eagle series.
Experts estimate that only 150 to 200 Mint State 1930-S Eagles survive. A handful of circulated coins also remain.
The Heritage example occupied the upper end of the surviving grade range. It displayed attractive yellow-gold color, a strong strike, and only scattered abrasions.
Rare 1920-S Indian Eagle Reaches $97,600
A 1920-S Indian Eagle graded MS61 by NGC sold for $97,600. That result also established a new auction record for the grade.
The coin came from The Fudd Collection.
The 1920-S marked the return of eagle production to the San Francisco Mint after a World War I-era pause. It also became the only San Francisco Mint $10 gold coin struck during the decade between 1920 and 1930.
The Mint produced 126,500 examples. Nevertheless, officials apparently melted most of them before collectors could acquire them.
As a result, the 1920-S ranks behind only the 1933 and the 1907 Rolled Rim among the greatest rarities in the Indian Head Eagle series.
The auction coin displayed strong luster across orange-gold surfaces. Moreover, its obverse showed a sharper strike than many surviving examples.
Rare 1795 Half Eagle Rounds Out the Top Five
An exceptional 1795 Capped Bust Right Half Eagle brought $94,550.
NGC graded the Small Eagle gold coin MS62. Specialists attribute it as the rare BD-2 die marriage.
The United States Mint used 12 known die combinations to strike 1795 Small Eagle Half Eagles. However, BD-2 ranks among the rarest.
Experts estimate that only 20 to 25 examples survive.
The Heritage coin ties for second finest among known BD-2 examples. It previously appeared in Heritage’s 2006 sale of the Antigo Collection. Later, it entered The Costa Family Collection.
S.S. Central America Territorial Gold Brings $91,500
An 1855 Wass, Molitor & Co. Twenty Dollar gold piece sold for $91,500.
PCGS graded the Small Head variety AU55. The coin came from the wreck of the S.S. Central America and included an associated pinch of gold.
Wass, Molitor & Co. issued the coin during a period of severe monetary pressure in Gold Rush-era California.
The San Francisco Mint struggled to convert the region’s vast gold output into federal coins quickly enough. Therefore, private assayers and coiners helped fill the gap.
The coin also reflects the dangers of commerce before the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Businesses relied heavily on ships to move gold, coins, mail, and passengers between California and the East Coast.
1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Highlights Branch Mint Rarity
A 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle graded MS62 by PCGS also realized $91,500.
The coin came from The Fudd Collection.
The issue launched the final period of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle production after a four-year interruption.
Many Philadelphia Double Eagles reached foreign banks and later returned to the United States. In contrast, most branch mint coins remained in federal reserves. The government later melted them during the late 1930s.
Experts estimate that only 80 to 120 examples of the 1920-S survive in all grades.
High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Matches $91,500
A 1907 High Relief Double Eagle graded MS66 by NGC brought another $91,500 result.
The coin featured the Flat Rim variant.
President Theodore Roosevelt wanted American coins to rival the artistic power of ancient Greek coinage. Therefore, he worked with sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to transform the nation’s gold designs.
Saint-Gaudens created a dramatic, medallic double eagle. However, the design proved difficult to manufacture.
Mint workers needed multiple blows from a medal press to bring up the High Relief design. They also had to anneal each planchet repeatedly between strikes.
The Premium Gem coin offered by Heritage displayed fully formed design elements, satin luster, and exceptional eye appeal.
Newly Documented 1797 Half Dollar Sets Record
A newly documented 1797 Draped Bust Half Dollar sold for $91,500.
PCGS graded the O-101a variety VF20. The price established a new auction record for the grade.
The United States Mint reported a combined mintage of only 3,918 Draped Bust, Small Eagle Half Dollars for 1796 and 1797.
Because the coins rank among the most important early American silver rarities, researchers have traced nearly every known survivor.
However, the Heritage coin did not appear in the comprehensive Amato roster. Researchers also could not connect it to any auction appearance during the previous 25 years.
Its smooth wear, complete rims, and strong remaining detail made it an important addition to the known population.
Two 1870-CC Eagles Each Realize $91,500
Two 1870-CC Liberty Head Eagles also sold for $91,500 each.
The Carson City Mint struck the coins during its first year of operation.
One example, graded XF45 by NGC, carried a pedigree to the Manhattan Collection. It ranked well above the condition of the typical survivor.
PCGS graded the second coin XF40. It also ranked among the finer pieces from the original mintage of only 5,908 coins.
Experts estimate that just 60 to 75 examples survive in all grades. Furthermore, neither PCGS nor NGC has certified an example in Mint State.
1888 Proof Eagle Brings $85,400
An 1888 Liberty Head Eagle graded PR64 Cameo by PCGS realized $85,400.
Records list the Proof mintage as either 72 or 75 coins. Today, experts estimate that only 18 to 22 examples survive.
The coin displayed sparkling orange-gold surfaces, deeply mirrored fields, and frosted devices.
Moreover, it ranks among the few Choice Cameo examples that Heritage has offered during the last quarter century.
Early 1796 Eagle Also Reaches $85,400
A 1796 Capped Bust Right Eagle graded AU53 by PCGS also sold for $85,400.
The Mint struck the Small Eagle issue from a single die pair. Records report a mintage of only 4,146 coins.
The 1796 Eagle remains considerably scarcer than its 1795 predecessor. Therefore, advanced gold collectors prize the date as both an early federal rarity and an important type coin.
The Heritage example displayed partially prooflike fields, greenish-gold color, and a strong strike.
Rare Gold Drives Heritage’s $12.4 Million Summer FUN Auction
Heritage’s Summer FUN results revealed a clear pattern.
Collectors paid the strongest prices for coins that combined major rarity, high technical quality, visual impact, and a compelling place in American history.
The 1888 Proof Double Eagle delivered all four.
Its $170,800 result not only set a grade record. It also placed one of the Gilded Age’s greatest Proof gold rarities at the center of a $12.4 million auction.
Complete auction results appear at HA.com/1394.
