1866-S Double Eagle - 1866-S $20 With Motto NGC XF45. This Western branch mint, first-year With Motto 1866-S Double Eagle is composed of light yellow gold with traces of rose-gold. The colors confirm the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no abrasion marks worthy of individual description. Sufficient definition of Libertys crown and the hair down her neck is present to verify the grade. The strike was strong with full details still present on the centers of about half of the stars and most of the elements of the reverse. 

The motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the original double eagle by enlarging the oval of stars above the eagles head and placing the motto in it. This modification did not require a major alteration of the design as was the case with adding the motto to the lower denominations. It was made at the behest of Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of Treasury and Congress because of pressure brought about by the Reverend M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.

Originally all of the United States coinage was secular. However, in the first sixty or so years of the United States existence, religious life became more important to the populace. By 1860, twenty-three percent of the population belonged to a church or had some kind of religious affiliation. Groups such as the National Reform Association wanted to amend the Constitution to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of all power and authority in government. The amendment was unsuccessful; however, the sentiment to bring religion into government remained strong. President Abraham Lincoln chose James Pollock to be the Mint Director in 1861. He served until 1867. Pollock was in favor of the idea that the nation depended on the will of God.  Reverend Watkinson was the first person who actually addressed this need. He believed that adding the name of God to our coinage would, relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism[and] place us openly under the divine protection.

Although placed on the two cent coin in 1864, the Coinage Act of 1865 created the authority to add the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to all coins. In 1866 it was placed on the half eagle, the eagle and the double eagle as well as on silver coinage and the shield nickel. It wasnt until the newly designed eagle and double eagle of Augusts Saint-Gaudens that the motto was briefly omitted in 1907 and 1908 because of President Theodore Roosevelts objection to it.