Coin of The Week
1907 Gold Double Eagle, Ultra High Relief, Lettered Edge
Date Updated: 6/10/2010
Near-Perfect 1907 Ultra High Relief, PR69 PCGS
This 1907 $20 Gold Double Eagle was auctioned by Heritage Auction Galleries on November 2, 2005 for $2,990,000.00 (including all auction fees). The following is an excerpt from Heritage's website. For a complete description of this pattern coin, please visit 1907 Ultra High Relief, $20 Lettered Edge PR69 PCGS.
Theodore Roosevelt understood the importance of the appearance of American coins. To that end, he challenged America's foremost sculptor to alter the coinage then in circulation, coins Roosevelt considered to be artistically of "atrocious hideousness." Ultra High Reliefs were struck seven times on a medal press in order to fully bring up all the details in the dies. Also, they were annealed between strikings. This annealing process heated the coin to a cherry-red color and then cooled in a weak solution of nitric acid. The result was a coin that had a surface of nearly pure gold. This annealing process gives Ultra High Reliefs an even more distinctive appearance. Each side is bright, shimmering pure gold with no variation between fields and devices
Photos of the 1907 Gold Double Eagle, Ultra High Relief, Lettered Edge
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Images Courtesy of: Heritage Auction Galleries, Ha.com, Copyright Heritage Auction Galleries. Used with permission.
Detailed Coin Specifications
| Description | 1907 Standing Liberty (Saint Gaudens) Double Eagle Ultra High Relief |
| KM# | Pn1874 |
| Denomination | $20 (Double Eagle) |
| Country | United States |
| Coinage Type | Circulation Coinage |
| Mint | U.S. Mint |
| Composition | Gold |
| Fineness | 0.9 |
| Weight | 33.436 g 0.9675 oz AGW |
| Diameter | 34 mm |
| Edge Type | Lettered |
| Description Obverse | Roman numerals in date |
| Description Reverse | No motto below eagle |
| Designer Obverse | Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
| Designer Reverse | Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
| Notes | The "Roman numerals" varieties for 1907 use Roman numerals for the date instead of Arabic numerals. The lettered-edge varieties have "E Pluribus Unum" on the edge, with stars between the words. |
| Issue date | 1907 |
| Composition | 0.900 part gold, 0.100 part copper |
| Diameter | 34 mm |
| Weight | 516 grains |
| Edge | Lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM with stars interspersing |
| Business strike mintage | 11,250 |
| Proof mintage | Fewer than 25 |
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