With a total mintage of just 571 coins, the 1882 Liberty Double Eagle (Buy on eBay) is the lowest mintage of the series, not counting the possibly unique 1849 pattern and the 1861 Paquet Reverse.
The majority of 1882 Double Eagles quietly entered circulation after production, and only around 40 examples are known to have survived. Most examples are in circulated grades, with only a few mint state pieces known. Notably, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Numismatic Collection lacks an example of this rarity.
Both proofs and business strikes were struck from the same die pair, which makes differentiating the coins difficult. Some subsequent issues, like the 1885 and 1886 had similar small mintages, but the 1882 remains the rarest in all grades.
Coin Specifications
- Designer: John B. Longacre
- Composition: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Weight: 33.436 grams
- Diameter: 34 mm
- Edge: Reeded
