1872

A Philadelphia Type 2 issue from the seventh year of the With Motto reverse, this date carries the broad-shouldered "TWENTY D." denomination that ran from 1866 through 1876. The mintage of 251,880 represents a sharp recovery from the 80,150 struck at Philadelphia in 1871, when the Mint had shifted much of its double eagle work to San Francisco. PCGS has long described the issue as moderately scarce overall yet far more obtainable in uncirculated condition than most other Type 1 or Type 2 P-Mint deliveries, with examples readily available across the VF through average uncirculated band and genuine rarity beginning at MS64 and above.

Survivors typically come with the strike characteristics common to Eastern Type 2 work of the early 1870s: reasonably full obverse stars, softness on the central feathers and shield lines of the eagle, and granular fields produced by aging working dies. PCGS commentary places the date in roughly the same condition rarity tier as the 1865 and 1866 in Mint State, while noting that it is decidedly less rare than either in true grade. Heritage Auctions has cataloged a population-supported 1872 MS62 PCGS CAC example (lot 1257-3245), and GreatCollections records show 27 examples passing through its archive over a sixteen-year window, with realized prices spanning $1,330 to $66,471 across grades 1 through 64, including a Fairmont Collection MS61 PCGS at $6,975.

Among Philadelphia Type 2 issues, this delivery sits in the practical middle: more available than the 1868, 1869, and 1871 cluster, yet still meaningfully scarcer than the 1873 and 1874 issues that fed the export trade in much larger numbers. For collectors building a date run, an attractive AU58 or modest Mint State coin is the standard target, while CAC-stickered MS62 and finer pieces serve registry-level needs. PCGS and NGC remain the standard third-party graders for authentication and resale liquidity. For broader background on the design, mintmark history, and motto subtypes, see the Liberty Head Double Eagle series history.