Double Eagle delamination 0

[RWB]

The following reports a delamination of a double eagle of unspecified date - probably 1880 or 1881.

February 21, 1881

 Sir,

I forward this day by Registered mail a $20.00 gold coin. By reason of imperfection in metal a small piece has scaled off; the detached piece is also enclosed, and there appears to be full weight required by law.

 I will thank you to deposit the value thereof to my credit in Transfer Account, with the Assistant Treasurer of you City, and forward Certificate of Deposit to this Office.

 /s/ James Gilfillan, Treasurer U.S.

Edited November 28, 2021 by RWB

[Just Bob]

Since this was now an under weight gold coin (plus a small piece of gold), I assume it was melted, rather than returned to circulation.

[RWB]

Yes. All defective coins were destroyed and replaced with good pieces. If the coin had come from a bank or individual, the Philadelphia Mint would have treated it as bullion and then paid the owner only the bullion value. (If the total weight were correct, that would be face value.) For internal treasury and sub-treasury transactions there was a fund to reimburse the mint for light weight gold that was recoined.