Gold $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle - XF

Issued a century ago and minimally circulated, this vintage coin series was produced during the early 20th-century renaissance of American coinage; a favorite among collectors seeking to hold a piece of early Americana.

This pre-1933 Gold coin features a rare combination of aesthetic beauty and historical significance. Add this $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle to your collection.

The Rare Value of Pre-1933 Gold Coins

Most gold coins predating 1933 are extremely limited in supply. Although many of these same coins were in common circulation prior to that year, the Great Depression changed the status of these coins. This was the year that President Franklin Roosevelt prohibited Americans from holding monetary Gold. As a result, millions of coins were returned to the US Treasury where they were melted down and converted into Gold bullion bars. 

Gold coins that survived this period in monetary history exist in rare quantities. And this is why pre-1933 coins are sought after and highly valued among numismatic collectors. In addition to the beauty of their design, these coins also represent a significant period in American history. The aesthetic, historical, and monetary value of these rare coins will add considerable diversity and value to any investment or collection.

Changes in the $20 Gold Coin Design

The $20 Gold Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle saw several design changes during its years of production. The series issued from 1907-1908 was not engraved with the motto “In God We Trust.” This was a later addition. Also, the number of stars adorning Lady Liberty changed from 46 to 48 in 1912 when New Mexico and Arizona were named states in the Union.

The dates on these coins may depend on the available inventory; coins are subject to our choosing. The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle was designed in 1907 at the personal request of President Theodore Roosevelt, who held high aesthetic standards in the design of American coinage.

The Story Of An American Coin That Almost Didn’t Make It Into Circulation

Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who would go on to design the Double Gold Eagle coin in 1907, had an aesthetic vision that, early on, nearly ended his relationship with the US Mint. In 1891, he served in the Mint as a committee judge, evaluating entries for Silver coinage, The following year, having received a commission to design the official medal of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he produced a design that was extremely controversial: an image of a naked youth carrying wreaths to crown the winners. Saint-Gaudens’ work was declared obscene and eventually withdrawn and replaced.

Saint-Gaudens’ designs were rejected by the US Mint for nearly a decade until President Theodore Roosevelt personally requested a reversal to the US Mint’s decision. Without the president’s support, the Gold Double Eagle coin, as we know it today, might not have seen the light of day.

Saving Us Coinage From “Atrocious Hideousness”

Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ commission to design US Mint coins came directly from President Theodore Roosevelt who described many of the coins of the day as “atrocious hideousness.” Without Congressional approval, Roosevelt went ahead and enlisted Saint-Gaudens to revise the design for the Gold Double Eagle. Roosevelt’s vision took after the coins of Ancient Greece, featuring a high relief and a high rim. This would cause a significant delay in production, so much so that Saint-Gaudens himself would never see the coin completed in his lifetime.

The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Gold coin is considered by many to be the most beautifully designed coin in US history.