The Saint-Gaudens gold coin is a U.S. coin that was designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and minted from 1907 to 1933. The coin was introduced as part of a new design initiative by President Theodore Roosevelt, who sought to modernize and beautify American coinage. This in our opinion is one of the most beautiful coin designs of all time.
The obverse of the Saint-Gaudens gold coin features a full-length figure of Liberty, holding a torch and an olive branch, with the U.S. Capitol building in the background. The reverse features an eagle in flight, with the sun rising behind it. The design is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and artistic in American coinage and is highly prized by collectors and investors around the world.
The original design of the Saint-Gaudens gold coin in 1907 featured a high relief variety, which meant that the design was raised significantly from the surface of the coin. However, the high relief made the coins difficult to strike and caused problems with stacking and storage. The high relief version of this coin also had the date in roman numerals instead of numbers. The 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle was minted with both Roman numerals (MCMVII) High relief and Arabic numerals (1907) regular relief to represent the date of production. The decision to include both forms of numerals on the coin was made by President Theodore Roosevelt, who was an admirer of classical art and wanted to incorporate classical elements into the design of the coin. The design was modified in 1908 to reduce the relief, which made the coins easier to produce and more practical for everyday use. The 1907 St Gaudens was issued in regular, high relief and ultra-high relief.
The Saint-Gaudens gold coin was issued in several different denominations, including the $20 Double Eagle and the $10 Eagle. The coins were widely used in circulation during their production years but were also popular with collectors and investors due to their beautiful design and historical significance.
The production of the Saint-Gaudens gold coin was halted in 1933, following the United States’ abandonment of the gold standard and the prohibition of private gold ownership. Today, surviving examples of the coin are highly prized by collectors and investors, and are considered one of the most important and iconic designs in American numismatics.
Everyone who loves coins should have one of these wonderful coins in your collection if you can afford one.