An 1869 $20 ultra cameo is set to headline Heritage Auctions' Long Beach sale, which runs from January 29 to February 1.
Bidding on the PR 65-graded lot will open at $65,000.
 The 1869 $20 ultra cameo is one of few surviving specimens |
A total of 25 proof eagles were minted in 1869, the majority of which were later melted down due to lack of demand.
Double eagles were less popular among collectors than other varieties during the 19th century, hence their extraordinary rarity today.
Heritage comments: "The present coin is a delightful Gem, with razor-sharp definition on all design elements and startling field/device contrast.
"We can find no previous auction appearances for this coin and believe it has been off the market for decades¦it may be many years before a comparable specimen becomes available."
The auction record for an 1869 $20 is $308,000, set for a similar PR 65 cameo in 1999.
A 1905 Indian cent, struck on a quarter eagle planchet, carries an opening bid of $65,000.
The coin is the only known example of a gold Indian cent bearing this date and is believed to have been a genuine error, as opposed to three other gold cents minted in 1900.
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