The 1896 Double Eagle $20 gold coin was a circulating gold coin in America, and the S mint mark denotes it was struck at the San Francisco Mint. This example has been graded MS62 by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), a high grade for an older circulating coin. They are popular coins with collectors, and were the largest circulating gold coin in the US.

American Double Eagle gold coins are struck to 90% purity, offering enhanced durability for a coin intended to be circulated. They have a total weight of 33.436 grams, meaning they contain 30.1 grams of pure gold, just less than a troy ounce. They are 34 mm in diameter, and 1,403,925 coins were struck at the SF Mint in 1896.

The obverse of the coin features the classic ‘Liberty Head’ design by James Barton Longacre. It shows the profile of Lady Liberty facing left, and wearing a coronet, with the word LIBERTY on it. She is surrounded by 13 stars, presenting the original 13 colonies of America, and the year of issue.

A heraldic eagle with a shield can be found on the reverse, clasping three arrows in one talon, and an olive branch in the other. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GOD WE TRUST (surrounded again by 13 stars), E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the face value of TWENTY DOLLARS are all included. This was once again designed by James Barton Longacre.

This MS62 example of the 1896 S $20 gold Double Eagle coin is an excellent opportunity for collectors to secure a high-grade example of one of these classic American coins.