Explore Pre-33 $20 Liberty Double Eagles from the San Francisco Mint

The San Francisco Mint is one of the oldest and most prolific branches of the United States Mint. Opened in 1854, the San Francisco Mint’s founding was a direct result of the influx of gold from the California Gold Rush. The US Mint opened this western branch to cut down on the time to turn raw gold into gold bullion coins for circulation use. JM Bullion currently has Pre-33 $20 Liberty Gold Coins on sale that span from the Reconstruction Era to the Gilded Age and dawn of the 20th century.

About the San Francisco Mint

Prior to the opening of the San Francisco Mint, gold discovered and recovered from mines throughout California had to make the arduous, dangerous journey from the American West to the Philadelphia Mint, the primary branch mint of the US Mint. Overland routes were exhaustive and slow, while the other popular route by sea took gold from the California coast to the Pacific coast of Panama, where the gold was transported by rail to the east side, reloaded onto boats, and shipped to New York.

Following the opening of the San Francisco Mint in 1854, the US Mint experienced huge dividends in production capacity as the new branch mint struck more than $4 million (USD) in gold coins.

About Pre-33 $20 Liberty Double Eagles from San Francisco

While all US Mint branch locations striking coins of the same denomination used the same die images, history has shown that each branch mint also tended to produce coins with slight variations compared to their compatriots. At the San Francisco Mint, many of the Pre-33 $20 Liberty Gold Eagles showcased excellent strike quality when compared to the same coins from other branch mints. Additionally, San Francisco gold coins were known to show off a luster that had a satiny, grainy appearance with a more reflective field.

One final fun fact about San Francisco Mint coins comes from a rather minor detail with a rich history. The coins were all struck with an S mint mark on the reverse side. This indicated the coins were produced by the San Francisco Mint and those mint marks have proven important over the course of time. The S mint mark is the oldest branch mint mark still in use by the mint today.

Grab Your San Francisco Pre-33 $20 Liberty Double Eagles at JM Bullion

These Pre-33 $20 Liberty Double Eagles offer a unique look at American coinage, in general, from the 19th century, and more importantly, showcase the unique aspects of San Francisco Mint gold currency from the era. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. JM Bullion customer service is available at 800-276-6508, online using our web chat, and via our email address.