Which US Gold Double Eagle Do You Prefer?

If you were to choose between the two graded coins shown below, which gold coin will you pick?

1908 Saint-Gaudens (No Motto) $20 Gold Double Eagle

NGC MS64

2009 Ultra High Relief Gold Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle $20, NGC MS69



Photos of the two graded coins above ☝ were taken from the ModernCoinMart website.

The American Beauty

2009 Ultra High Relief $20 Gold Double Eagle, as presented by the US Mint, video snippet by @silversaver888
Minted in 24K gold exclusively for the year 2009, this gold coin was designed by the master sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.


Designing the new Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

Saint-Gaudens worked on the designs based on the request by Roosevelt that they be "distinctly American." He incorporated a Native-American theme in the designs at the President's request. The obverse design shows Lady Liberty stepping up onto a ledge bearing a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left hand. The reverse design shows an eagle in flight with the rising sun at the bottom of the design with sun rays pointing upward throughout the design behind the eagle.

These designs were incorporated in high relief in 1907, but had to be changed a number of times because the initial run of coins could not be fully struck with one blow of the coining press, and the force used to mint the coins was too great for the dies to withstand an affordable number of coins struck per die. The relief of the design was lowered in subsequent runs to ensure these problems were solved. By 1908 the coins were in full production with the lower-relief designs.

Why are there "No Motto" Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coins?

When President Roosevelt originally spoke with Saint-Gaudens about the design of this series, he told Saint-Gaudens to leave "In God We Trust" out of the design of the coin. He felt it was not fitting to place such a statement on our coins. Saint-Gaudens complied and left the motto off of the coins. Shortly after the coins were released to the public, a roar of protest convinced Roosevelt that he had been wrong, so in mid-1908 he asked Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber to incorporate the motto into the design wherever Barber saw fit.

Condition of $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coins

During the time when these double eagles were minted the typical worker made about $400 per year, so a double eagle was about equal to a month's wages. These coins were too high denomination for most people to afford, and losing one of them would be devastating to a large majority of the population. Their chief purpose in commerce was for business to business transactions such as bank transfers. Another of their chief purposes was to monetize the surplus stores of gold deposits for accounting purposes. They were never really intended to be placed in the hands of common people in typical commerce. Given that, many of the $20 Double Eagle gold coins were never pocket-worn in circulation. Most were instead transferred from place to place in bags with other coins. This made low-end uncirculated grades the most common among these coins, while the higher grade (mint state 63 and above) coins are highly sought after because they are far less common.

😍The 1908 $20 Gold Double Eagle is my dream gold coin!😍

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@silversaver888

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I'd prolly just buy Bullion, that is my Modus Operandi at this time

😎 Moar 4 your Money!!!

moar-boar.jpg

Yup, that is the best way to stack!

1908 All the way bestie

I knew it, bestie!!!

This shot blew my mind.Resteem for your pic,,,,,

Thanks for stopping by, leaving a comment, and resteeming this article, my friend, @sems42!

The delicious irony that President Theodore Roosevelt gave the American people perhaps the finest gold coin ever minted and President Franklin Roosevelt confiscated these very same gold coins making it a felony to own these coins.

Hmmm . . . who says facts are not stranger than fiction.

People in power are funny that way!

Think he 1908 has bigger boobs so I'm pressing up against her BWahahahaa!

You sure are funny, @enginewitty! Have a great week, my friend!

I Would sell either one Right now for More Ounces of Silver. I have Owned the High Relief in the Past and I Bought it from The U S MINT Booth at the ANA Coin Show in Los Angeles in 2009.......I am Also Here for The Hugs and Kisses @silversaver888

Beautiful, huh! It will probably take me a year more to save up for my dream 1908 $20 Gold Double Eagle!

You are probably right......Ms. Saver

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I like the 2009.. nice details

The high relief sure makes it awesome!!!

Without knowing the mintage figures, if ms64 is rare for the 1908, if ms69 is rare for 2009, the actual collector value of either coin..... Based purely on coin-apeal, its the 1908 for me.

Spoken like a prudent coin investor, @welshstacker!

I thought 1908 hands down but after seeing the details on the 2009....... It's still the 1908! But only by a smidge, I'd be thrilled to have either.

I always just dream and visualize that I have the $20 Saint Gaudens... who knows, it might happen, LOL!

That is awesome Saver! I believe you will own one someday too! :)

Thank you silversaver888! You've just received an upvote of 84% by thejollyroger!


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So very cool!!! Thanks for your support, @thejollyroger!