$20 · Gold · 1907–1933
Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
The result of Theodore Roosevelt's campaign to elevate American coinage, combining monumental sculpture with a twenty-dollar gold denomination.
- Designer
- Augustus Saint-Gaudens
- Classic dates
- 1907–1933
- Mint facilities
- Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco
01 · Overview
Why the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle matters
President Theodore Roosevelt asked sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to rethink the nation's gold coinage. The double eagle debuted in 1907 in several relief and date formats before the Mint arrived at a lower-relief version suitable for regular production.
The series is divided by relief, numeral style, and the presence of IN GOD WE TRUST. Its history also reaches the end of circulating United States gold coinage, culminating in the legally complex 1933 issue.
02 · Design
Reading the design
Obverse
Liberty strides forward holding a torch and olive branch, with rays behind her and the Capitol visible at lower left. Stars frame the design. Relief and date style distinguish the major 1907 formats.
Reverse and edge
A young eagle flies above the sun. E PLURIBUS UNUM appears on the lettered edge, separated by stars, rather than occupying the obverse or reverse fields.
03 · Specifications
Nominal issue specifications
- Denomination
- $20
- Composition
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Nominal weight
- 33.436 g
- Actual gold weight
- 0.9675 troy oz
- Diameter
- 34.0 mm
- Edge
- Lettered: E PLURIBUS UNUM with stars
Nominal specifications describe regular classic issues. Patterns, proofs, special strikes, production tolerances, and later commemorative or modern versions may differ.
04 · Chronology
The series in stages
01
1907 relief experiments
Ultra High Relief and High Relief pieces used Roman numerals and required extraordinary production effort. A lower-relief Arabic-numeral version made large-scale coinage practical later in the year.
02
No Motto · 1907–1908
The first regular issues omit IN GOD WE TRUST. Congress required the motto's restoration, creating a clear design division during 1908.
03
With Motto · 1908–1933
IN GOD WE TRUST appears above the rising sun. Production continued intermittently through 1933, although 1933 pieces were not issued in the ordinary course.
05 · Examination
What photographs should help you examine
High points and field friction
Liberty's knee and breast, along with the eagle's wing, are useful areas to inspect for friction. Broad rays and fields can also show contact and cleaning clearly.
Relief and date format
A 1907 attribution must identify relief and Roman- or Arabic-numeral date style. These are structural design differences, not descriptive flourishes.
Edge lettering
The edge is part of the design. A complete gallery should show enough of the lettered edge to reveal damage, disturbance, or an attribution inconsistency.
06 · Before buying
Questions the listing should answer
01
Separate metal value from numismatic value
The coin contains a known nominal amount of gold, but its market value can also reflect date, mint, variety, survival, grade, surface quality, and demand. A gold calculation is a useful reference point, not a complete valuation method.
02
Read the holder and the coin
Confirm the grading service, grade, certification number, and any documented designation, then examine the photographs independently. A third-party grade is an attributed opinion; it does not replace a review of color, luster, marks, and surface originality.
03
Treat cleaning and damage separately from wear
Circulation wear is only one part of condition. Cleaning, polishing, scratches, rim damage, mount removal, tooling, and altered surfaces can materially change how a coin is described and valued even when substantial design detail remains.
07 · Sources
Primary references
This guide is educational and intentionally type-level. Issue-specific attribution, mintage, certification, and condition should be verified for the individual coin.