1796 No Obverse Stars

COIN NAME: DOUBLE EAGLE 1849-1866 Coronet
DESIGNED BY: James Barton Longacre
ISSUE DATE: 1849 (pattern); 1850-1866
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 34 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Reeded
BUS MINT :23,526,676
PROOF MINT: 375 (estimated)

Following a pattern coinage in 1849, the double eagle or $20 gold piece made its debut in circulation in 1850. These pieces are always among the most spectacular to view in any collection. Certainly the finer quality coins have an inherent beauty that causes anyone to marvel at the skill of their designers. Designed by James B. Longacre, the obverse features the compact head of Miss Liberty, her hair tied in a bun, wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Stars surround, and the date is below.

The reverse consists of an eagle with a squared-off shield on its breast, holding an olive branch and arrows, with ornaments to the left and right, stars and rays above, with the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TWENTY D. surrounding. Double eagles of this type were made in large quantities from 1850 onward, although the span is sprinkled with scarce and rare issues.

The type collector will have no difficulty acquiring an example of one of the more plentiful dates in Very Fine to Extremely Fine preservation. AU pieces are scarce. Uncirculated pieces are very scarce, and superb Uncirculated coins are exceedingly rare, although occasionally pieces dated 1861 come on the market. Proofs in all instances are exceedingly rare.

1796-1807 Capped Bust, Stars

COIN NAME: DOUBLE EAGLE 1866-1876 Coronet, With Motto
DESIGNED BY: James Barton Longacre
ISSUE DATE: 1866-1876
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 30 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Reeded
BUS MINT: 16,160,758
PROOF MINT: 335

By this period, as evidenced by the number of coins produced in any given year, the Double Eagle was an extremely popular coin. Yet, few, as evidenced by the scant number of proof coins struck, were produced with the collector in mind. In 1866 the reverse of the Coronet or Liberty Head style was modified by adding the motto IN GOD WE TRUST within the circle of stars above the eagle. This motto was continued from this point forward. The type minted from 1866 through 1876 is defined by the combination of the IN GOD WE TRUST motto with the denomination below expressed as TWENTY D. In 1877 the denomination was expressed differently, thus isolating the earlier issues as a distinct type. Production was continuous at the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints. Carson City coins were produced beginning in 1870, with 1870-CC being, a rarity today. Proofs in all instances are exceedingly rare.

1808 Capped Bust to Left

COIN NAME: DOUBLE EAGLE 1877-1907 Coronet, TWENTY DOLLARS
DESIGNED BY: James Barton Longacre
ISSUE DATE: 1877-1907
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 30 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Reeded
BUS MINT: 64,137,477
PROOF MINT: 2,426

It appears now that the collector was considered as the Double Eagle anchored itself in the annals United States Commerce. The coin was beautiful, compact and more easily transported across the country. Because so many were produced, the type set collector will have no difficulty specimens graded from Very Fine to AU, with Extremely Fine and AU pieces being abundant. Uncirculated pieces are scarcer and when seen are apt to be dated during the last decade of production. Superb Uncirculated pieces are scarcer yet.

The Coronet or Liberty Head obverse motif was continued during the 1877-1907, as was the reverse with IN GOD WE TRUST above the eagle. However, the denomination, formerly expressed as TWENTY D., was changed to read TWENTY DOLLARS and as a result a new type was born. Examples were produced continuously at Philadelphia and intermittently at Carson City and San Francisco. New Orleans produced double eagles of this style in 1879, and pieces were struck at Denver in 1906 and 1907 there are a number of rare issues within the span, with the 1883 and 1884 Philadelphia coins being legendary in this regard.

There is a certain tactile pleasure in handling these large gold coins. It's hard to imagine when we look at today's tokenized, clad coinage that these beautiful gold pieces were once used as money. Until the early twentieth century, gold was a universal currency that gave the holder economic freedom anywhere in the world. This freedom was revoked when gold was demonetized in 1933, but it has been restored today in the form of the credit card. Of course, to numismatic purists, the plastic card can hardly match the aesthetic experience of seeing or touching these magnificent double eagles.

1821-1834 CAPPED HEAD TO LEFT

COIN NAME DOUBLE EAGLE MCMVII (1907) High Relief
DESIGNED BY: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
ISSUE DATE: 1907
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 34 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM with stars interspersing
BUS MINT: 11,250
PROOF MINT: Fewer than 25

From the beginning, these coins sold at a premium to their face value. It was obvious these would one day become jewels in any collection. It is not known exactly how many proof coins were struck as proofs in extremely high relief. Your chances of finding one of these is extremely slim, as it is not known for sure if any still exist.

Subsequent to the production of these two dozen or fewer very high relief coins, only 11,250 coins of slightly less relief were struck. After the relatively small mintage was accomplished, the High Relief format was discontinued. The obverse of this style depicts Miss Liberty striding forward with radiant sunrays behind and a distant view of the Capitol building, with LIBERTY above and the date expressed as MCMVII in the lower right field. The reverse shows an eagle flying left with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS in two lines above. Below is the sun with resplendent rays.

1908-1929 Indian

COIN NAME: DOUBLE EAGLE 1907-1908 No Motto
DESIGNED BY: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
ISSUE DATE: 1907-1908
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 34 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM
BUS MINT: 5,294,968
PROOF MINT: Fewer than 5

After the High Relief version of this coin was produced in early 1907, this version was produced for business circulation. Its relief was made shallower making the coin less susceptible to wear during the course of business transactions. This design however, did not last long. President Theodore Roosevelt objected strongly to the use of God's name in the motto. A subsequent act of Congress replaced the motto and made way for the production of tens of millions of the more popular "with motto" coin.

The general design remains the same as on the previous High Relief issues and depicts Miss Liberty striding forward, with rays and the Capitol building in the background, LIBERTY above, and the date, now expressed in Arabic numerals, to the lower right. The reverse is similar and depicts an eagle flying to the left over the sun, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS in two lines above. Around the obverse border of all Saint-Gaudens $20 issues is a circle of stars, 46 stars on those minted from 1907 through 1911 and 48 stars on those made from 1912 through 1933.

There is a certain tactile pleasure in handling these large gold coins. It's hard to imagine when we look at today's tokenized, clad coinage that these beautiful gold pieces were once used as money. Until the early twentieth century, gold was a universal currency that gave the holder economic freedom anywhere in the world. This freedom was revoked when gold was demonetized in 1933, but it has been restored today in the form of the credit card. Of course, to numismatic purists, the plastic card can hardly match the aesthetic experience of seeing or touching these magnificent double eagles.

1834-1839 Classic Head

COIN NAME: DOUBLE EAGLE 1908-1933 With Motto
DESIGNED BY: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
ISSUE DATE: 1908-1933
COMPOSITION: 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper
DIAMETER: 34 mm
WEIGHT: 516 grains
EDGE: Lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM
BUS MINT: 64,981,428
PROOF MINT: 687

United States coinage has never been more beautiful than it was in the early years of the 20th century. The Buffalo nickel ... the Mercury dime ... the Standing Liberty quarter ... the Walking Liberty half dollar, these were among the aesthetically stunning coins that made their first appearance and circulated side by side during that period.

Fittingly, however, the centerpiece of this "golden age" wasn't a nickel or silver coin, but one made out of gold. The Saint-Gaudens double eagle, or $20 gold piece, stands above the rest as the single most magnificent coin of this or any era in U.S. history.

In 1908 the Saint-Gaudens design was modified by adding IN GOD WE TRUST. This came as a result of an Act of Congress, a direct response to President Roosevelt's disdain for the name of God appearing on any coin. Roosevelt failed in his effort to forever strike the name of God from all coinage.

Otherwise the design is the same as the proceeding. Issues minted from 1908 through 1911 have 46 stars around the obverse border, while those minted from 1912 through 1933 have 48 stars, reflecting a larger number of states in the Union. Production was accomplished on a fairly continuous basis from 1908 through 1933.

Mintages were generally modest, but heavy melting, not low mintage, was primarily responsible for creation of the major rarities, including the 1927-D, the 1920-S, the 1921, the 1930-S and the 1932. The survival of many of these dates is predominately due to the large quantity of gold coins held in Swiss and French bank vaults. This large gold coin is actively sought by a myriad of collectors: from bullion hoarders to type collectors to those challenged by the awesome (and expensive) undertaking of assembling a complete date and mintmark set.

1840-1907 Coronet

Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a most prominent & widely acclaimed sculptor of American Art. Saint-Gaudens redesigned the $10 & $20 gold pieces in 1905 due to a challenge from President Theodore Roosevelt who wanted to emulate the magnificent work of Ancient Greece. The $20 Gold Double Eagle was the result!

Designer: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Struck in .900 Gold
MS64 Brilliant Uncirculated Condition
Struck from 1907 to 1933
Graded By Either PCGS or NGC