Prior to the 1970’s it was thought that the 1911-S was similar in rarity to the 1911-S Indian Head Eagle but a small hoard of approximately 30 to 40 very high quality pieces found in Europe changed that notion.

Today the issue is still very scarce overall with probably fewer than 550 coins known in all grades. Although a moderate number of Gem Uncirculated coins exists (perhaps as many as two dozen), there have been none graded finer than MS66. A vast majority of the 550 or so presently known are in grades of EF to AU.

Strike Quality, Luster, and Eye Appeal Challenges

Almost all 1911-S Eagles are found with sharp strikes. The detail is uncommonly sharp at the centers for a coin of this design from the San Francisco Mint and a number are seen with partial wire rims as well. The luster is usually seen bright with frosted finishes atop the normal finely granularsurfaces.

The color is the regular orange-gold from San Francisco with many displaying strong hints of dark green. A few Gem examples exhibit deep reddish-gold accents. The eye appeal of this date tends to be below average. Most 1911-S Eagles are heavily abraded and have substandard luster as a result. Locating a very attractive specimen is difficult and coins with good eye appeal routinely trade for strong premiums among knowledgeable specialists.