Saint Gaudens $20 Gold Coin (1907-1933)
Mint Location: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver.
Designer: Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Composition: 90% gold; 10% copper
Weight: 33.436 grams
Edge Type: Reeded
There are three types of this coin. There were only 12,000 of the Type 1, High Relief (1907), sent to circulation. The planchette is concave giving it a sharp appearance. The obverse motif is of the figure of Miss Liberty striding forward with a Liberty Beacon in her left hand and a olive branch in her right. The Capitol building is very small on the left and the year is in roman numerals. There are 46 stars around the edge. The reverse features a eagle in flight facing left . The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is on the top edge, with TWENTY DOLLARS just under. On the bottom is a sun with 14 rays extending up over the coin.
The Type 2, No Motto (1907-1908), changed the design to a flattened relief that would work in the high speed presses and banks had complained that the Type 1 coin did not stack correctly. The roman numerals were changed to arabic. On the reverse there were 13 rays instead of 14.
Type 3, With Motto (1908-1933). In Coin Act of 1908 instructed the mint to put the Motto on all coins. It was placed just above the curve of the sun.
Coin Values: All coins after 1927 are rare due to melting. Values vary widely, with a 1907 MS67 Gold $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle (Type1) selling for $150,000, a 1907 MS66 Gold $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle (Type2) selling for $6500, while a 1927 MS64 Gold $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle (Type3) sold for $2000.
1907 Gold $20 Saint Gauden (Type1)
1907 Gold $20 Saint Gaudens (Type2)
1908 Gold $20 Saint Gaudens (Type 3)