Rare gold display at FUN

The finest known of only two 1861 Philadelphia Mint Paquet reverse gold $20s, graded Numismatic Guaranty Corporation MS-67, has been sold and will be publicly displayed for the first time…

Insured for $8 million, the recently sold 1861 Paquet reverse double eagle is shown at top. Below it is an example recovered from the “SS Republic” shipwreck and tied for finest known. This 1854-O $20, graded NGC AU-58, is from the Horseneck Collection. (Photos courtesy Numismatic Guaranty Corporation)

The finest known of only two 1861 Philadelphia Mint Paquet reverse gold $20s, graded Numismatic Guaranty Corporation MS-67, has been sold and will be publicly displayed for the first time in a decade during the January 2017 Florida United Numismatists Convention in Fort Lauderdale. It once was part of the fabled Palace Collection of King Farouk of Egypt.

Insured for $8 million, the historic gold coin will be displayed along with the Horseneck Collection of Type I double eagles that includes many of the finest known coins of their kind. The Horseneck Collection is also insured for $8 million, according to Adam Crum, vice president of Monaco Rare Coins Newport Beach, Calif.

The 1861-P Paquet reverse was privately sold by Brian Hendelson, president of Classic Coin Co. of Bridgewater, N.J., for an undisclosed price to Larry Lee, president of Coin and Bullion Reserves of Panama City, Fla.

This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.

More Collecting Resources

• If you enjoy reading about what inspires coin designs, you'll want to check out Fascinating Facts, Mysteries & Myths about U.S. Coins.

• The Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money is the only annual guide that provides complete coverage of U.S. currency with today’s market prices.