united-states-1933-item-7
DenominationDouble Eagle ($20)
Country / EmpireUnited States
Mintage445,500 (nearly all melted, only a handful known to exist legally)
Obverse DesignLady Liberty striding forward, holding a torch and an olive branch, with the Capitol building in the background. 'LIBERTY' above, rays of sun, and the date '1933'.
Reverse DesignAn eagle flying above the sun, with 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' and 'TWENTY DOLLARS' around. 'IN GOD WE TRUST' below the eagle.
Historical Context
The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is one of the most famous and valuable coins in numismatic history. Although 445,500 were minted, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 6102 in 1933 recalled most gold coins from circulation, leading to the melting of almost all 1933 Double Eagles. Only a small number are known to have escaped melting, making them extremely rare. The most famous example, the 'King Farouk' coin, sold for a record price, highlighting its immense historical and monetary value.
