1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin

The 1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coins are relatively common, with more than 1 million pieces having been struck, a great deal of those coins survive today. Three different minting facilities produced Liberty Head $20 Gold Coins in 1882: San Francisco, Carson City and Philadelphia. San Francisco was situated in the heart of the Gold Rush region of California, so not surprisingly handled much of the coin production that year. While gold coins were mainly used in the West, they did see some decent circulation in some of the cities along the eastern seaboard. Bear in mind, that $20 was a lot of money in the 1880s.

For collectors, finding a Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin in excellent condition is always the goal, but is not such an easy goal to accomplish. Thanks to their age, these coins can never have their condition guaranteed and can range from being in great shape to being in extremely poor shape.

Grading the 1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin

The process by which a coin is graded is intense and follows a set of key steps. The grading process is performed by a team of coin experts that examine every aspect of a coin. The coin’s authenticity and metal content are also verified. Although this process follows certain steps, the coin’s final grade is the opinion of an expert numismatist or team of numismatists. The better the overall condition that a coin is in, the more potentially valuable the coin may be. You can get a good idea of how your coin may be graded by closely examining the coin for any signs of damage or wear including scratches, fading or erosion.

Use the specifications below to determine how your Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin might be graded.

Uncirculated: Coins in uncirculated condition are in near-perfect condition. Even though these coins have been around for decades, coins in this condition will appear as if they just emerged from the mint today. The coin’s text or imagery appears to be freshly struck, with no visible signs of erosion or damage. The color of some coins will also be near-perfect, while other coins may show some signs of age in their color or overall tone. By using a magnifying glass for example, you can see if all the detail is present or if the coin has experienced some fading or erosion.

Extremely Fine: Just a step below uncirculated condition, coins in extremely fine condition appear to be relatively new, but may have some very minor wear and tear or erosion on the coin’s details or surfaces. In addition to any surface damage on the coin, the coin’s overall texture may be smoother from years of exchanging hands. In spite of these minor issues, coins in this condition are still extremely appealing and look to be in excellent condition.

Fine: Another step down the grading scale, coins in fine condition may have very visible imperfections on the coin’s surfaces or edge. The imagery or text on the coin may have scratches or noticeable damage and the coin’s finish may appear to lack any shine or luster.

Good: Coins in good condition may have severe damage to the coin’s surfaces or detail. The color and tone of these coins may also appear to be slightly different than coins in better condition. Sometimes, damage can make it impossible to identify the coin or its details such as minting year and any text. While these coins may not be in the best shape, they may still garner high premiums if they are of limited mintage or are sought after by collectors.

Pricing the 1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin

As far as grading the Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin is concerned, you need to take into consideration the type of coin you possess and the condition it is in. For one, the condition of the coin means everything to collectors so if the coin is in great shape it will naturally sell for a higher price. Secondly, because there were multiple types of these coins minted every year, the exact type of coin you possess will play into the asking price. Listed below is a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you might be asked to pay for a 1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin given its condition and type.

Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin	N/A	N/A	$37,500	$70,000
1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin (CC)	N/A	N/A	$2,750	$3,500
1882 Liberty Head $20 Gold Coin (S)	N/A	N/A	$1,500	$1,575
Source: Red Book