They are extremely rare because they are, with I think one exception illegal to own. FDR withdrew gold from circulation before any 1933 double eagles were officially released. All examples therefore are ‘stolen’ U.S. property which the government will seize when it finds them.
King Farouk of Egypt managed to get ahold of one and that one is the only one that might be legal to own, if you can afford it.
yep, I read about some lady who found a bunch in a safe deposit box, sent them to the mint to have them authenticated and the mint seized them..
I think the dead relative who owned the box was connected with them mint in some way.
There was a guy selling some on a radio buy, sell, trade show. I remember handling a couple in the early ‘70s, too.
FWIW The Farouk coin was kept in the vaults of the WTC up until July of 2001. It was then decided to move it to Fort Knox.