The Saint-Gaudens $20 Gold Double Eagle America’s Most Beautiful Coin
The Double Eagle, or Twenty-Dollar gold coin, produced from 1907-1933 is widely regarded as the most beautiful coin ever struck in the United States Mint. Designed by Augustus-Saint-Gaudens–one of the preeminent American sculptors of the early 20th century–the Double Eagle that bears his name also owes its existence to President Theodore Roosevelt. A flamboyant character who left an indelible mark on many facets of American history, Roosevelt was the driving force behind the wholesale redesign of the United States’ coinage from 1907 through 1921 that resulted in nothing short of a renaissance within our nation’s Mint. Bored by the long-running coinage designs that stretched back into the earlier decades of the 19th century, “Teddy” Roosevelt desired a new set of designs with superior artistic qualities that would better represent the United States as a leader among the community of nations.
To meet the president’s requirements, Saint-Gaudens chose to emulate the beautiful coinage designs of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. The obverse design for his Double Eagle also borrows heavily from some of Saint-Gaudens’ earlier work, and it features a powerful standing figure of Liberty holding a torch and olive branch. Behind the portrait is the dome of the U.S. Capitol and the rays of a rising sun, while 46-48 stars encircle the periphery. The word LIBERTY is above and the date is placed at the lower-right border. Saint-Gaudens’ reverse design is equally as beautiful with a majestic bald eagle flying toward the viewer’s left atop the rays of a rising sun. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination TWENTY DOLLARS are above.
The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle was first struck for commercial use in 1907 in a high relief design that lacks the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The design was quickly lowered in relief, however, as the high relief version was too difficult to strike. Additionally, Congress forced the return of the motto IN GOD WE TRUST in 1908, a decision made over the objection of President Roosevelt who felt that the use of a deity’s name on coinage constitutes a blasphemous act.
Remaining virtually unchanged through 1933, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series came to an end that year with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s issuance of the Gold Recall Act. No more Double Eagles were struck in the United States Mint as the nation tried to overcome the economic hardships of the Great Depression. “FDR’s” order also created many numismatic rarities in the Saint-Gaudens series as millions of undistributed Double Eagles were melted on government order. Other issues were more fortunate, however, and today coins like the 1924, 1927 and 1928 exist in large-enough numbers to provide many collectors with the opportunity to own an example of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ beautiful Double Eagle. Among the most popular grades in which to collect these coins are MS-64, MS-65 and MS-66. In these finer Mint State grades with full luster and minimal handling marks, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is a beautiful coin to behold and a cherished piece of American history.
