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Rarity of 1873-s Open 3 $20 LIberty?

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I recently bought and sold an 1873-s Open 3 $20 LIberty that was around AU50, I tried to make the argument that it was a rarer coin than the closed 3. Unfortunately Greysheet does not list the coin on the quarterly. In auctions Heritage mentions it as a rarer coin especially as you get toward AU58. The Bowers book on double eagles calls it a common coin. Is this really a better coin in terms of rarity?

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As usual Heritage is an excellent resource:

 

1873-S $20 Open 3 AU53 NGC. NGC Census: (69/503). PCGS Population (36/189). Numismedia Wsl. Price for problem free NGC/PCGS coin in AU53: $1,510.(Registry values: N991) (NGC ID# 26AM, PCGS# 8979)

http://coins.ha.com/itm/liberty-double-eagles/double-eagles/1873-s-20-open-3-au53-ngc-ngc-census-69-503-pcgs-population-36-189-numismedia-wsl-price-for-problem-free-ngc-pcg/a/1204-11290.s

 

As you get in the AU55-58 and above grades the pricing reflects increased rarity.

 

Which is not true of the common type II $20s which I am seeing offered at virtually no premium compared to their much more common type IIIs.

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Hmmmm....if you bought it and sold it, then does it matter?

 

It matters from the standpoint of disparity of opinion on its rarity. The QD Bowers book says there is no significant rarity difference on the closed 3 and open 3 version of that S mint coin. CW Trends lists the coin as worth a lot more in the higher AU grades while quarter III of CDN does not list it. And in one of the HA sales it was listed as much rarer in 55/58. With the type II $20s showing vanishing premiums up to AU58 in the common dates, it seems to be an anomaly. But I have seen two of these come through Connecticut dealers as common, so it made me wonder.

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It might be more difficult to locate in AU (what is now called "AU58") but below that condition it could be a toss-up. Might also mean there is so little demand that each coin gets individual treatment.

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It might be more difficult to locate in AU (what is now called "AU58") but below that condition it could be a toss-up. Might also mean there is so little demand that each coin gets individual treatment.

 

This is what I was thinking. Both of those coins are die varieties. How many die variety collectors are there of DE? The newest edition of Red Book (1998) I own lists both for the 1873 Philadelphia, but not SF.

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