1871 Double Eagle - 1871 $20 PCGS AU50 CAC. Type 2 Double Eagle. This crusty and lustrous Type 2 1871 Double Eagle is a mixture of yellow-gold and light coppery-gold. The coin is graded AU50, which is confirmed by CAC indicating that it is a premium quality piece that fully merits the grade assigned. The surfaces of this 1871 Double Eagle are original and clean for the grade with no abrasion marks that are individually worthy of description. The strike of this 1871 Double Eagle is above average with full details in the centers of the stars and most of the design 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.

The 1871 Double Eagle has the lowest mintage of any Philadelphia Type 2 coin. Most surviving pieces are in VF or XF condition. In its population report, PCGS shows 171871 Double Eagles in AU50 with 55 better. At CAC, as of May 2012, there are 3 1871 Double Eagles in AU50 with 6 better.