1923 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

1923 Saint-Gaudens double eagles are named for their designer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who was a famous sculptor that President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned to redesign the $20 gold coin in 1907. Roosevelt, who sought a renaissance of sorts for United States coinage, which had experienced an artistic lull during the late 19th century by some measures, would accomplish his goal of establishing a rebirth for American coin designs when he chose Saint-Gaudens. The Saint-Gaudens double eagle, with its majestic depiction of Lady Liberty on the obverse and a flying eagle on the reverse, is commonly considered the most beautiful U.S. coin ever produced.

Mintages and values for 1923 Saint-Gaudens double eagles follow:

• 1923 – 566,000, $2,532

• 1923-D – 1,702,250, $2,532

*Values are for coins in Extremely Fine-40 grade, unless otherwise noted.

Below are specifics about the Saint-Gaudens double eagle:

• Face Value: $20

• Overall Mass: 33.436 grams

• Diameter: 34 millimeters

• Edge: Lettered, “E PLURIBUS UNUM”

• Composition: 90% gold, 10% copper

• Gold: .96750 troy ounces

Many Saint-Gaudens double eagles were mainly used for international trading purposes, given their high face value (their $20 denomination is the equivalent of hundreds of dollars today). However, the Saint-Gaudens double eagle did circulate fairly well out West.