$20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coin | BU

 Piece of Pre-1933 American Gold

President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to remake American coinage, and the $20 Double Eagle that resulted is widely regarded as the most beautiful coin the U.S. Mint ever struck. The Mint produced it from 1907 to 1933, until the gold recall that year pulled most surviving examples back to be melted. Every coin holds 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, struck in a 90% gold, 10% copper alloy that survived decades of circulation better than softer pure gold would have.

Liberty Striding, an Eagle in Flight

The obverse carries Liberty striding forward at dawn, a torch raised in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, the Capitol dome tucked at the lower left and sun rays fanning out behind her. The reverse carries a bald eagle mid-flight above a rising sun, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS stacked across the top. Roosevelt initially left IN GOD WE TRUST off the design, objecting to God’s name on money that could change hands for anything, but public protest pushed Congress to add the motto back in mid-1908. Congress added it back, over Roosevelt’s own objection.

$20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Specifications

Every coin weighs 33.44 grams gross, 34 mm across, with a lettered edge reading E PLURIBUS UNUM rather than the reeding found on modern coins. 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 the ultra-rare 1907 High Relief or a 1933, both of which trade well beyond bullion pricing. Depending on the year, your coin may carry the motto or the earlier, less common design without it, and it may show 46 stars along the rim (1907 to 1911) or 48 (1912 onward, after New Mexico and Arizona joined the Union). 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 knee and breast, the design’s high points. Details vary by year, all within the same BU standard.

$20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle FAQ

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

Either. Coins from 1907 into mid-1908 were struck without it, and coins from mid-1908 through 1933 carry it. This listing ships whichever is in stock, and the no-motto version is the less common of the two. 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, like 1927-D or the 1907 High Relief, command steep premiums as key dates, and 1933 trades far outside bullion pricing entirely. 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 Saint-Gaudens 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 one of the coins 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 U.S. legal tender, 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 U.S. gold? Browse our full Pre-’33 US Gold Coins selection.

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