1907 $20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle PCGS MS66+

Here is an absolutely stunning example of Augustus Saint-Gauden’s masterpiece, the $20 double eagle, which has come to be called the “Saint” in his honor. Numismatic scholar and art critic Cornelius Vermeule writes, "The double eagle is perhaps the most majestic coin ever to bear our national imprint." PCGS has graded 42 as MS66+ with only 20 finer. Collectors Universe prices this issue at $30,000.00 in MS66+.

Painting of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the artist-medalist who created this beautiful design, by Kenyon Cox. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Gold specialist David Akers writes, “After Charles Barber made his ‘technical improvements’ on Saint-Gaudens' original design, the relief was ‘flattened’ significantly giving this issue … the appearance of being weakly struck, especially on Miss Liberty. Actually, the strike is generally quite sharp; it is just that the dies lacked the proper detail. Lustre on this issue is usually good but is slightly subdued … in comparison to the later (after 1920) issues. The surfaces are the 'soft’ frosty type seen on most early Saint-Gaudens pieces, particularly the Philadelphia Mint issues.”