Overall quality is a challenge for the 1859-S $20 double eagle, as most examples are softly struck on each side and exhibit subdued luster. Original coins with a consistent strike are seldom encountered and should command a premium. Examples are relatively common in circulated condition, with most coins encountered in Extremely Fine and lower AU grades. Mint State coins are scarce and are often plagued by bagmarks and other heavy abrasions. Just 40-50 Uncirculated examples are known for this San Francisco mint issue, the finest of these being a single MS-63 (PCGS).

We wrote the following in our April 2022 Auction Catalog, saying: "The mintage for the 1859-S double eagle was down more than 200,000 pieces from the tally of the previous year. The high grade rarity of this issue is nearly unknown outside of the field of specialized double eagle collectors for the 1859-S has not been represented in any significant hoards, either shipwreck treasures or repatriations from foreign holdings. While the S.S. Republic shipwreck did yield 67 1859-S double eagles, only one of those coins has been designated as Mint State."

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in April 2022 as part of the Fairmont Collection, Hendricks Set, where it realized $69,000.