History of the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Commissioned by Theodore Roosevelt to bring the beauty of ancient Greek coinage to America, the Saint-Gaudens $20 gold piece is widely called the most beautiful US coin ever struck. The 1907 high relief issues — so sculptural that each required multiple strikes — are the artistic pinnacle of the series.
Each coin contains nearly a full ounce of gold, so common dates track the gold price with a collector premium on top. High relief 1907s, better dates and anything uncirculated carry substantial numismatic value beyond metal.
The Saint-Gaudens double eagle was struck from 1907 to 1933 in 90% gold, 10% copper (0.9675 oz gold). The design is the work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Each coin weighs 33.44 grams and measures 34 mm across. Production took place at Philadelphia, Denver (D) and San Francisco (S).
How much is a Saint-Gaudens double eagle worth?
Condition drives everything in numismatics. A heavily worn Saint-Gaudens double eagle and a pristine one can differ in price by a factor of ten or more, so treat the figures below as broad retail ranges for problem-free coins rather than fixed quotes.
With nearly an ounce of gold per coin, the bullion floor alone runs to thousands of dollars — check the current gold spot price before valuing any example.
Printed price guides age quickly. The most honest benchmark is what comparable coins actually sold for, which is why CoinVault Pro shows live values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold results whenever it identifies a coin.
- Common dates, XF–AU: gold value + 3–8%
- Common dates, MS-63: gold value + 10–20%
- MS-65: gold value + 30–60%
- 1907 High Relief, XF+: $12,000–$30,000+
How to identify a genuine Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Before you get excited about a potential find, confirm that the coin in your hand matches the genuine article. Work through this checklist:
When a coin fails any of these checks, treat it with suspicion. Modern counterfeits can be convincing at arm's length, but weight, dimensions and die details rarely lie.
- Weight must be 33.44 grams; gold-plated tungsten fakes match size but fail precise weight and ring tests.
- Mint marks appear above the date.
- Pre-1933 gold was heavily counterfeited in the mid-20th century Middle East — buy certified or from trusted dealers.
Check your Saint-Gaudens double eagle with CoinVault Pro
The fastest way to find out what you have is to photograph the coin with CoinVault Pro. The app identifies it using Gemini AI combined with Coin-CLIP image matching, estimates a grade on the full Sheldon 1–70 scale, and shows live market values built on Numista catalog data and real eBay sold prices.
From there you can add the coin to your collection, track its value over time, put upgrades on your wishlist, or list it on the in-app marketplace with escrow protection. The app is free to download on iOS and Android.