1855-S

San Francisco's 1855 double eagle production of 879,675 pieces was more than six times the 141,468 1854-S figure that opened the branch's participation in the denomination, and exceeded the 364,666 Philadelphia output for 1855 to become the first year a branch mint outproduced the parent mint in this denomination. The shift reflected the San Francisco Mint's intended role: converting California bullion directly into coinage at the source rather than shipping raw gold to Philadelphia. The 1855-S production paired with a famously rare 8,000-piece New Orleans output, completing a three-mint year in which California gold flowed primarily through the West Coast facility while the eastern mints handled secondary volumes. Design specifications are unchanged from the 1854 issues: Type I Liberty Head obverse with thirteen stars, heraldic eagle reverse with shield and TWENTY D., reeded edge.

Strike quality on 1855-S is generally better than on the inaugural 1854-S, reflecting the new mint's improving die preparation and press calibration during its second year of operation. Typical examples show clean central detail on Liberty's coronet and the eagle's primary feathers; some late-die-state coins show softness, but the strike profile is closer to Philadelphia standards than the early 1854-S production was. Wear on circulated examples follows the series pattern, with Liberty's hair above the ear, the coronet, and the eagle's shield first to show friction. Survival favors circulated grades through AU; Mint State examples are scarce, with MS62 and finer pieces individually significant. Counterfeit exposure tracks the Type I baseline; PCGS or NGC certification is the standard authentication path for any 1855-S priced above bullion floor.

Market position for 1855-S sits as one of the more accessible Type I S-mint issues, supported by the high original mintage and by survival profiles that include reasonable AU and lower Mint State availability. Pricing in VF through AU runs in the mid four figures, MS60 reaches the high four to low five-figure range near $8,000, and MS63 sits near $30,000 at current market. MS64 and finer examples are condition rarities for any Type I date. For type-set collectors, the 1855-S functions as a Type I S-mint representative with pricing comparable to the early Type I Philadelphia issues. For date-and-mint set builders, it is a routine acquisition typically handled in the AU through MS62 grade range. Acquisition is certified only at this unit value. For the broader context of the San Francisco Mint's early production years and the shift in California gold processing toward the West Coast, see the Liberty Head Gold Double Eagles history article.