Numismatic Gold Coin: Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Numismatic Gold Coin: Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Did you know that the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is second in the list of the top ten most expensive coins? According to the list of the Top Ten Most Expensive Coins released by the International Business Times, the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle was purchased for $7.59 million in an auction. This is the second highest price paid at an auction for a single US coin.
The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is a numismatic gold coin minted in 90% gold and 10% copper. Numismatic gold coins are rare gold coins that are collectibles. The value of these coins is determined by a number of factors, including their age (manufacturing date), their rarity, their features and design and the total number of the coins that was minted originally. These coins can be purchased online or at auctions. Numismatic gold coins are certified for authenticity and grade by any one of the two certification firms – the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) – after which they are made available in a protective plastic case. Indian Head Eagle ($10 Eagles 1907), Liberty Head Eagle ($10 Eagles 1907) and Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ($20 Double Eagles) are some of the numismatic gold coins.
Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ($20 Double Eagles)
The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is a twenty dollar numismatic gold coin. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful and widely accepted gold coins in the world.
Design of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
US President Theodore Roosevelt assigned eminent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens the task of redesigning American coinage in order to reflect the beauty and power of the country. Saint Gauden unfortunately was able to redesign only two coins: $ 10 eagle gold coin and $20 double eagle gold coins. Redesigning the Double Eagle earned him an important place in American history.
In 1907 and 1908, some of the Double Eagle numismatic gold coins were originally struck in a high relief design, without the motto “In God We Trust”. Since the high relief version was too difficult to strike, the design was instituted in the low relief version. This version had the motto inscribed on it following the Act passed by the Congress, making it mandatory for the coins to have the motto on them. Thus, the value of the coins without the motto from those two years is significantly more, as only a few coins were struck.
Obverse Design
These numismatic gold coins represent Lady Liberty holding an olive branch and a torch of freedom on the obverse. The visible inscriptions are “Liberty" and the year of mint.
Reverse Design
The reverse of these numismatic gold coins features a bald eagle flying over the sun. Also seen are the inscriptions ‘United States of America’, ‘Twenty Dollars’ and ‘In God We Trust’.
The US mint minted the $20 Saint-Gaudens from 1907 to 1933. By law, each coin contains .9675 troy oz. of pure gold. Originally, the mintage of these numismatic gold coins was strictly limited. Then, in 1933, in an effort to overcome the economic turmoil caused by the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to stop issuing gold coins for circulation. Thus, millions of these numismatic gold coins were given back to the US Treasury and melted down into gold bars. This created many numismatic rarities in the Saint-Gaudens series. Today, coins like the 1924, 1927, 1928 exist in large numbers, giving collectors an opportunity to possess an example of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ beautiful Double Eagle numismatic gold coins. The other popular grades in which these coins can be collected are MS-64, MS-65 and MS-66. Available in improved mint state grades with optimum gleam and negligible handling marks, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle numismatic gold is a striking coin to behold and a treasured piece of American history.
