$306,250.00 USD
The 1888 is a relatively obtainable date, both as a business strike and as a proof. With the business strikes this is hardly surprising, as 226,164 pieces were struck. On the other hand, only 103 proofs were produced. Of that number, it has been estimated by John Dannreuther that only 20 to 25 pieces exist today. With only one-quarter of the mintage known today, the 1888 is still considered one of the most available proof twenties from the decade of the 1880s. This is a decade that has several notable rarities, including three proof-only dates (1883, 1884, 1887). The two major certification services have graded a total of 32 proofs of this date as non-Cameo, Cameo, and Deep/Ultra Cameo.
This is a spectacular, deeply mirrored example. The fields display the typical orange-peel texture, and the depth of reflectivity contrasts sharply against the thick mint frost on the devices. Only the tiniest contact marks can be seen in the fields, and the devices appear to have been completely spared. Bright yellow-gold color overall and exceptional eye appeal.
