The 1894-S is comparable in rarity to most of the other San Francisco double eagles from the early 1890s.

Expert’s Corner: 1894-S Double Eagle

In MS63 and higher grades, the 1894-S is a date which has performed well over the years. I expect the demand and price to rise for nice examples of this date in the coming years.

The quality of strike for this date is better than average. There are some with weakness on the top of Liberty’s head, but most are well defined at the centers and borders. The surfaces are often found with numerous bagmarks. It is not uncommon to find 1894-S double eagles with a few copper spots as well. The luster is excellent with a very frosty finish, as is typical with San Francisco gold coins from this era.