The 1900 is the second most common Type Three double eagle, trailing only the 1904.

Expert’s Corner: 1900 Double Eagle

If you want an MS65 Type Three double eagle for your set, and you’d prefer a date which is not the very common 1904, the popular turn of the century 1900 is your best bet. It is still a similarly affordable coin, but it is about 12 times rarer in this grade than the 1904. That is a nice rarity factor for a modest premium.

Most 1900 double eagles are well struck. Some are slightly weak on the borders but most are fully detailed at the centers and have sharp stars and denticles. The surfaces on many examples are very densely abraded. However, it is easier to locate one with acceptable surfaces than most other double eagles of this era. The luster varies greatly. Some are seen with the sort of grainy texture common on the 1899, while others have a frosty texture as seen on many 1901’s. A few semi-proof-like or fully-proof-like pieces exist. The coloration on original, uncleaned pieces ranges from rose-gold to orange-gold to greenish. The level of eye appeal for this date is very good, making it an excellent selection for a type set.

1900 Double Eagle: Proof Rarity and Business-Strike Availability

There were 124 proofs struck. Around half are known, making the 1900 among the more obtainable dates of this denomination as a proof. Most survivors are in the PR62 to PR64 range, but there are about thirty gems seen by NGC or by PCGS. Obviously some of those were at one time submitted to both services possibly inflating the overall population numbers.

An NGC PR67 CAM is the finest known proof of this date. Business-strike 1900 double eagles are very common in grades up to and including MS64. Gems are one of the most available dates of this type. But in grades MS66 and above, the 1900 is extremely rare, and PCGS and NGC have a current combined population of only eight coins.