1907 High Relief (1907 $20 High Relief), Wire Rim, NGC MS63. Bright mint luster shimmers on this lovely mint state 1907 High Relief Wire Rim Double Eagle. The high relief is enhanced by excellent surfaces that show just a couple of tiny marks that keep the coin from a higher mint state grade. The strike is above average on the obverse with just a little weakness on the Capitol building and below the eagle on the reverse, as is often the case. Evidence of the wire rim is seen on most of the obverse and some of the reverse too.

The wire rim was caused by excess metal between the die and the collar that appeared as flange. These rims occurred mainly on the obverse of the first 8,000 coins that were struck. This rim was actually a minting error in that it caused some coins to get stuck in the coining chamber. The problem was solved by obtaining planchets that were milled differently. The pieces struck from the new planchets yielded better results. The remaining 4,000 High Relief pieces are known as the Flat Rim variety.

The coins obverse depicts Liberty striding toward the viewer as if she is ready to step out of the coin. She is holding an olive branch in her left hand and a torch in her right, lighting the way to freedom as dawn rises over the Capitol. She is wearing a loose, flowing gown that exposes her arms and her left knee and leg, and her long hair flows to the side. The Capitol building is shown at the lower left. Behind her are rays of the sunburst.

The date in Roman numerals is on the right, below the olive branch. LIBERTY is in an arc at the top border. Forty-six stars surround the edge of the coin, one for each state in the Union at the time. On the reverse, Saint-Gaudens placed a large, majestic eagle soaring to the left above the rising sun. It is reminiscent of Gobrechts flying eagle. Above the eagle in two arcs are the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the denomination. All of the words in the legends on the reverse are separated by dots. Beneath the eagle is the rising sun with stylized rays, some of which touch the opposite rim. Saint-Gaudens had placed the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on the coins edge thus reducing the clutter on the obverse and reverse and reinforcing their clean, open look.

Roosevelt felt that the Mint Engraver, Charles Barber, could not redesign the nations coinage to his liking. His pet crime was to bypass Barber in the design process. It was the first time that someone other than a Mint employee was asked to design a coin for regular United States coinage. Saint-Gaudens was enthusiastic about the project and also about superseding the polite Mr. Barber. Unfortunately, Saint-Gaudens did not live to see his creation in circulation. However, Roosevelt did not let the project die with Saint-Gaudens. He ordered the coins to be made despite Barbers objections. When President Roosevelt first saw the design, he knew that his friend had created a masterpiece that would be admired by all. What he did not know, however, was that a quarter-century later, his cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, would confiscate all privately-owned gold, and many of these beautiful coins would be melted into gold bars.

While these high relief double eagles are not particularly rare, collector demand has always made it one of the more difficult to obtain in mint condition.