1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Rim MS65 NGC. CAC....

Description

Extraordinary 1907 High Relief Twenty, MS65
Popular Wire Rim Variety

1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Rim MS65 NGC. CAC. The magnificent Saint-Gaudens High Relief double eagles of 1907 have been classified in the literature into two distinct categories: Wire Rim and Flat Rim. The Wire Rim coins were struck first, with about 8,000 pieces featuring a distinctive partial rim, or fin, around the edge of the coin. This feature was eliminated by adjusting the size and milling of the planchets to better fit the dies. In A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, Q. David Bowers quotes a communication from Roger Burdette:

"When the Philadelphia Mint switched to a milling/diameter combination suggested by Frank A. Leach about December 18, 1907, the subsequent coins were free of fin and had better definition to the stars."

The Wire Rim was considered a separate variety for many years, although the feature was not due to the use of different dies. Early catalogers made sure to differentiate between the two subtypes whenever a specimen was offered at public auction. An example of an early description from the Sloane, Lenz and Others Collection (Thomas Elder, 1/1936), lot 1275, reads:

"1907 $20. St Gaudens, variety with wire edge. Sharp Unc. only 11,000 coined. Record to $40 in these sales."

The Wire Rim has become a prized feature many collectors because of its unique appearance and history.
The present coin is an especially attractive Wire Rim specimen, with rich, satiny luster over matte textured surfaces. The bright yellow-gold color is softened by shades of russet. The strike is sharp, as expected on a High Relief, with only some weakness on the stars, as mentioned by Burdette. No marks are noted with the naked eye. Visual appeal is striking.(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26F2, PCGS# 9135, GSID# 10131)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 33.44 grams
AGW: 0.9675oz
Mintage: 12,367

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.

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