Heritage World Coin Auctions
Long Beach Signature US Coin Sale 1252 16-17 Feb 2017
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High Relief Double Eagles
1907 $20 High Relief, Flat Rim, MS63 PCGS. The Flat Rim variant of the High Relief twenty is four or five times scarcer than its so-called Wire Rim counterpart. The Wire Rim was created by what is known by Mint personnel as "finning"; that is, extruded metal that squeezed through the separation between the die faces and collar. After being brought to Mint personnel's attention early in the striking process -- and then either being ignored or forgotten -- Mint Director Leach was much more pointed in his insistence that the coins be struck in such a way as to eliminate this "flaw." It was never completely eliminated, but finning was minimized. This particular piece shows no visible fin on the obverse, and just the slightest bit on the reverse. Otherwise, the surfaces are bright and lustrous with a rich reddish patina over the satiny mint luster that covers each side.
1907 $20 High Relief, Flat Rim, MS63 PCGS. The Flat Rim variant of the High Relief twenty is four or five times scarcer than its so-called Wire Rim counterpart. The Wire Rim was created by what is known by Mint personnel as "finning"; that is, extruded metal that squeezed through the separation between the die faces and collar. After being brought to Mint personnel's attention early in the striking process -- and then either being ignored or forgotten -- Mint Director Leach was much more pointed in his insistence that the coins be struck in such a way as to eliminate this "flaw." It was never completely eliminated, but finning was minimized. This particular piece shows no visible fin on the obverse, and just the slightest bit on the reverse. Otherwise, the surfaces are bright and lustrous with a rich reddish patina over the satiny mint luster that covers each side.