It is often stated within the numismatic community that Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ $20 gold double eagle is the most beautiful coin ever minted in the history of the United States. This design, first issued in 1907, was at the front edge of an American coinage renaissance. The dramatic elevation of artistry came at the hands of a President with an appetite for beauty and a sculptor with the talent to deliver it.

President Theodore Roosevelt believed very strongly that the coinage of a society was more than just a tool for commerce but was in fact a reflection of that society’s very identity. Roosevelt was less than impressed with the current designs of American coins and in a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury in 1904 wrote, “I think our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness.” He concluded it was time for a change. His desire was to create coins that would be the best the United States had ever produced. Roosevelt was especially impressed by the high relief coins of the ancient Greeks and wished to capture that same artistry. The United States had become a world power and he felt our coins should represent that. He selected a man named Augustus Saint-Gaudens to accomplish this monumental challenge.

Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a successful and renowned artist and sculptor at the time. An Irish immigrant, he had studied drawing and art in the United States as well as abroad in both Paris and Rome. Saint-Gaudens had designed Roosevelt’s inaugural medal in 1905 and the President fancied the resulting work. President Roosevelt chose Saint-Gaudens as the man to redesign our nation’s coins. He charged him with creating new one cent, ten dollar, and twenty dollar designs. The sculptor shared Roosevelt’s vision of what coins could and should be and after some initial reservation accepted the task. Working against his own rapidly declining health, Saint-Gaudens toiled to create a design in high relief which would stand for all time as a monument to American society. He unquestionably succeeded.

On December 15, 1906, models for the new double eagle were delivered to the President for review. As defined by the United States Mint, “On the obverse, Saint-Gaudens shows Liberty, personified by a statuesque woman striding powerfully forward. Liberty’s robe harkens back to our roots as a republic based on the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. Liberty is leading the way with a torch in her front hand and an olive branch in the back hand. This design underscores that liberty is central to the American spirit, is beautiful and attractive to all, and wherever Liberty goes, inspired by enlightenment, peace follows. The United States Capitol dome is also depicted in the background, meaning that through representative democracy, liberty has been fully achieved in America, strengthening her position to go forth throughout the world.”

Furthermore, “A young eagle flying during a sunrise is depicted on the reverse. This is America, young and strong, in its ascendancy with a bright future before it. The motto, “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is on the edge of the coin, allowing a cleaner design on the obverse and reverse. These stylish elements represented the visual embodiment of America and made it a definitive American coin.” Saint-Gaudens had particularly admired Christian Gobrecht’s eagle-in-flight design that had appeared on the reverse of the Flying Eagle Cent. His rendering of the eagle for the reverse of this design was a variation of this theme.

The work received the enthusiastic approval of the President who wrote to Saint-Gaudens on December 15, 1906: “Those models are simply immense-if such a slang way of talking is permissible in reference to giving a modern nation one coinage at least which shall be as good as that of the ancient Greeks.”

It was the intention of Augustus Saint-Gaudens that the original Ultra High Relief design would appear on America’s circulating double eagle. Despite reservations by Chief Mint Engraver Charles Barber that this was impractical if not fully unrealistic, on February 7, 1907 the stage was set to begin trial striking utilizing the design as originally prepared.

The following excerpt taken from “Renaissance of American Coinage, 1905-1908” by Roger Burdette details the various specimens struck in Ultra High Relief and whom it is believed the original owners were:

Production Group One

Struck February 7-14, 1907, along with 15 small-diameter versions. Lettered edge is A-I [sans serif front, right-side-up when coin is obverse up] as probably prepared by Barber with little or no direction from the designer. Original owners include:

1 - George Roberts
1 - Robert Preston (via Roberts)

Gold examples loaned to Saint-Gaudens and returned:

1 - Complete coin, lettered edge (later given to Roosevelt)
1 - First strike, plain edge
1 - Second strike, plain edge
1 - Third strike, plain edge
1 - Complete coin in lead, plain edge
1- Plain edge, defective due to die crack

Incomplete specimens were probably destroyed after the reverse die broke

Production Group Two

Struck during March and April 1907. Approval to strike two pieces for the Mint cabinet was given by Director Roberts and Secretary Shaw. A total of 10 to 13 were struck with most going into Barber’s personal collection. Lettered edge is B-II [serif front, upside-down when coin is obverse up] as probably stipulated by Saint-Gaudens.

2 - For Mint Collection
1 - Given to Augustus Saint-Gaudens (June 1908) from Mint collection by presidential order
1 - Remains in the National Numismatic Collection (Smithsonian)

Possibly 11 others – most evidently purchased by Charles Barber.

Production Group Three

Struck December 31, 1907 on indirect orders taken from Director Leach as interpreted by Philadelphia Mint Superintendent Landis. Three examples, probably with edge B-I [serif front, right-side-up when coin obverse is up] were prepared by Barber. Intended recipients were:

1 - Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States
1 - George B. Cortelyou, Secretary of the Treasury
1 - Frank A. Leach, Director of the Mint

***It should be noted here that at least four distinct full size patterns have been identified in the authoritative work on the subject “The Ninth Editon - United States Pattern Coins” by J. Hewitt Judd, M.D. also commonly referred to as “The Official Red Book of U.S. Pattern Coins”.
They are:

J-1907 Struck in gold Lettered Edge (Feb 1907 striking)
J-1908 Struck in gold Plain Edge (Struck from cracked die)
J-1909 Struck in gold Lettered Edge (different die pairing than J-1907 &
J-1908)
J-1910 Struck in lead Edge not known

A fifth pattern related to this design is the small diameter version (J-1917) which was struck in gold with a lettered edge in the size of a $10 eagle.

The striking process necessary to produce the Ultra High Relief double eagle was arduous. All of the specimens were struck on a medal press. In order to produce the full definition of the design, seven blows from the 150-ton hydraulic press were required. In addition, between each blow the piece had to be annealed (heated to a cherry red and then cooled in a weak nitric acid solution) to remove any possible oxidation from the surfaces. After the coin was dried, it was restruck and the process repeated.

The result of such painstaking workmanship is a coin of unmatched beauty. As might be expected, the surfaces of an Ultra High Relief specimen are truly magnificent. Though at times some of these examples have been referred to as simply “uncirculated”, all were struck in proof. The medal-coins, as Charles Barber considered them, have a “cupped” or “dished” obverse and reverse which when coupled with the high relief devices provides a dramatic and almost three-dimensional look. As such, these rare and spectacular patterns have long been hailed as among the finest numismatic pieces ever produced by the United States.

An impatient President, growing weary of delays, wrote in a letter dated August 7, 1907: “There must be no further delays. Let the two coins (referring to the $10 eagle as well) be finished and put into circulation at once; by September first.” With this executive mandate, Chief Engraver Charles Barber modified the design and the striking of what is now called the High Relief Double Eagle commenced. Though considerably more practical than the Ultra High Relief type, after minting just 12,367 pieces (inclusive of both Wire Rim and Flat Rim varieties) the relief was lowered further and the date was modified to Arabic numerals. Some 361,667 of this latter type were then minted in 1907.

Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Ultra High Relief Double Eagle remains as timeless today as when it was created a century ago. Any offering of one of these scarce pieces has historically met with very strong demand. Infrequently seen available, in 2005 a specimen graded PR69 by PCGS garnered $2,990,000.00, the highest price ever paid for an Ultra High Relief specimen at auction. However, the sheer numismatic majesty and popularity of this amazing work is perhaps best evidenced by the general public’s reaction to the release of the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle coin of which just over a whopping 151,000 were sold by the United States Mint.

Today, Saint-Gaudens’ design in its various forms (Ultra High Relief, High Relief, Low Relief, 2009 Ultra High Relief, Gold American Eagles) remains without equal in the eyes of collectors and investors. President Theodore Roosevelt’s vision was realized, the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle truly epitomizes the finest achievement ever in United States coinage.