$20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coin NGC MS63

A Certified 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. This one has already been graded and encapsulated by NGC, so the coin you receive carries a verified grade rather than a dealer’s own opinion of condition. 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.

What NGC MS63 Actually Means

MS63 is NGC’s term for Choice Uncirculated, a coin with no trace of circulation wear, full original mint luster, and light contact marks from handling in Mint storage bags rather than from being spent. It sits below the near-flawless MS65 and above coins with heavier bag marks or duller luster, the kind of grade a Saint-Gaudens double eagle typically earns when it comes out of a mint bag with average, unremarkable handling. NGC assigned this grade, not us, and the coin ships encapsulated in NGC’s own tamper-evident holder with that grade and a certification number on the label.

Dealer’s Choice Year, Mostly Late-1920s Survivors

The date and mint mark on your coin are our choice from current inventory, not something you can request. Most surviving Saint-Gaudens double eagles in this grade carry a late-1920s date, since large quantities were shipped overseas for banking transactions before the 1933 recall and sat in European vaults for decades, escaping the domestic melting that took most of the coins still in the country. Depending on the year you receive, the coin may carry the motto or the earlier 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). Year and mint mark vary, all within the same certified MS63 grade.

$20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle NGC MS63 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, encapsulated in NGC’s tamper-evident holder at the MS63 grade. 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, whichever year ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

$20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle NGC MS63 FAQ

What does NGC MS63 mean?

Choice Uncirculated, meaning no circulation wear, full mint luster, and light handling marks from Mint storage rather than heavy contact or a dull surface. It’s a verified grade, assigned by NGC rather than asserted by a seller.

Can I choose the year or mint mark?

No. This listing ships whichever certified MS63 example is in current inventory. Year and mint mark are dealer’s choice, not selectable at checkout.

Why are most MS63 examples dated from the late 1920s?

Large numbers of late-1920s Double Eagles were sent overseas for banking transactions before the 1933 recall, sat in European vaults for decades, and avoided the domestic melting that claimed most coins still in the United States. Overseas survival, not rarity, explains why these dates dominate the certified population.

What’s the difference between this coin and the Brilliant Uncirculated version?

This one has already been graded and encapsulated by NGC, with the specific MS63 grade verified and printed on the holder. The Brilliant Uncirculated listing ships raw, uncertified, at a lower price, with condition described but not independently graded. This coin is certified, the BU listing is not.

Is the $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle NGC MS63 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. Certification doesn’t change the metal’s fineness. Purity falls short of .995, the line an IRA coin has to clear.

Curious how this compares to our other Double Eagle listings? Browse our full $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles selection.

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