1904-S Double Eagle (1904-S $20) PCGS MS63 CAC. Type 3 Double Eagle. This Choice Uncirculated, Type 3 1904-S Double Eagle has bright cartwheel luster on both sides of the coin. The piece is well struck with full details on the centers of the stars, Libertys hair, and the design details of the reverse, especially the eagle. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade with no abrasion marks worthy of individual description. The CAC sticker indicates that the coin is a premium quality piece that fully merits the assigned grade.

James B. Longacres design for the double eagle shows a Liberty head facing left wearing coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Her hair is tightly tied in the back with two loose curls hanging down her neck to the end of the truncation. She is surrounded by thirteen six pointed stars with the date below. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with elaborate ribbons on both sides of the shield. The ribbons are inscribed, on the left E PLURIBUS and UNUM on the right. There is an oval of thirteen stars above the eagles head and an arc of rays from wing tip to wing tip behind the upper half of the oval. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc above the eagle, and the denomination is below.

In 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the oval of stars. The design change that brought about the Type 3 double eagle was the denomination. It went from TWENTY D. to TWENTY DOLLARS. Like the addition of the motto to the reverse, it did not cause any major change in the rest of the coins design.

In 1844 Longacre was appointed Mint Engraver through the influence of Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina. After overcoming opposition by the Chief Coiner, Franklin Peale, who was fearful that the new Engraver would interfere with his illegal medal manufacturing business using the Mint facilities, Longacre did well. He was responsible for creating many new designs including the Indian Head cent, the two-cent piece, the Shield nickel, the Liberty Head gold dollar, the Indian Princess gold dollar, the three-dollar gold piece, and the Liberty Head double eagle.