$20 Liberty Double Eagle Gold Coin | BU

The Longest-Running Double Eagle

Congress authorized the $20 gold piece in 1849 to move California Gold Rush bullion into coin form, and the US Mint struck this design, the Liberty Head or Coronet Double Eagle, from 1850 to 1907, longer than any other Double Eagle design held the job. Every coin holds 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, struck in a 90% gold, 10% copper alloy tough enough to survive decades in circulation.

A Coronet, a Double Ribbon, and a Typo

Chief Engraver James B. Longacre put Liberty’s head in profile on the obverse, hair gathered in a bun beneath a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, thirteen stars circling the rim for the original states. On coins struck 1850 through 1858, Longacre’s own engraving misspelled the word LLBERTY, the second L never quite becoming an I, a slip still visible under magnification on surviving examples. The reverse carries a heraldic eagle gripping a double ribbon reading E PLURIBUS UNUM, Longacre’s own visual pun on the coin’s “double” denomination. Congress added IN GOD WE TRUST to the design in 1866, and the Mint spelled out TWENTY DOLLARS in full starting in 1877, two separate changes eleven years apart, not one. Two changes, eleven years apart, not a single 1877 update.

$20 Liberty Double Eagle Specifications

Every coin weighs 33.44 grams gross, 34 mm across, with a reeded edge. 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, whichever year ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

A Note on Year, Motto, and Condition

This listing ships a common date, our choice based on inventory, not a rare Carson City or New Orleans strike, both of which trade well beyond bullion pricing. Depending on the year, your coin may carry the motto or the earlier design without it, since coins struck before 1866 lack it and coins from 1866 onward carry it. BU here means no wear from circulation, not a third-party grade, so handling marks from decades in Mint storage bags are normal and expected, most often on Liberty’s cheek and the eagle’s breast, the design’s high points. Details vary by year, all within the same BU standard.

$20 Liberty Double Eagle FAQ

Will my coin have the “In God We Trust” motto?

Most likely yes. Coins struck 1850 through 1865 lack it, and coins from 1866 through 1907, the bulk of this coin’s production run, carry it. This listing ships whichever year is in stock. It depends on the year, not a choice you make.

Is this a rare or key-date coin?

No. This listing prices on gold content and common-date availability, not date rarity. Certain years and mints, especially early Carson City and New Orleans strikes, command steep premiums as key dates. This is a common-date coin, priced near its gold content.

What condition will my coin arrive in?

Brilliant Uncirculated, meaning no wear from circulation. Because these coins spent decades stored loose in Mint bags before reaching a stack, handling marks on the high points are normal for the grade and don’t affect the gold content. BU means no circulation wear, not a mark-free surface.

Is the $20 Liberty Double Eagle IRA eligible?

No. At .900 fine, it falls under the IRS’s .995 minimum for a precious metals IRA, and it isn’t named as an exception in the tax code. Purity falls short of .995, the line an IRA coin has to clear.

Does this coin have a face value?

Yes, every Double Eagle carries a $20 face value and was historic US currency, though the bullion value of the gold inside is worth far more than that number stamped on the coin. Face value is $20, not what the coin is worth today.

Curious about other pre-1933 US gold? Browse our full Pre-’33 US Gold Coins selection.

Ready to own a piece of Gold Rush-era American gold? Add the $20 Liberty Double Eagle Coin to your cart.