1907 $20 High Relief PR67 NGC....

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Important Superb Proof 1907 High Relief Double Eagle

1907 $20 High Relief PR67 NGC. After the striking of the 24 Ultra High Reliefs in February and March 1907, Henry Hering (Augustus Saint-Gaudens' pupil and assistant) worked with Mint officials and prepared a second set of master dies and hubs in lower relief. Six pairs of working dies were produced that eventually struck the 11,250 coins we know today as the Wire Rim and Flat Rim High Reliefs. Two pairs of these working dies were used to also strike an unknown number of Satin Finish proofs. All High Reliefs were struck on the Mint's hydraulic presses, which were normally used to produce medals. Regular business strike High Reliefs required five blows from the hydraulic press to strike up. To bring up the extra detail on proofs, the planchets were struck six or seven times. David Akers estimated that somewhere between 20 and 25 proofs were struck, but did not speculate about the number of recognizable survivors today. Subtle yet significant differences distinguish business strikes from proofs. This coin displays broad, flat borders with razor sharp inner and outer edges. In addition, the berries on the olive branch are fully rounded, all pillars in the Capitol building are separated, and the eagle's tail feathers are crisp down to the ends. There are numerous swirling and horizontal striations in the fields, evidence that the dies were extensively polished before striking.

The surfaces have a glowing, satin-like finish and tinges of lilac patina mix nicely with the lovely green-gold alloy. Not only are imperfections virtually non-existent, but even a marker for future attribution requires a little study under magnification. A tiny, round Mint-caused depression to the right of the dot before UNITED should be useful for future identification. Truly a spectacular offering for the connoisseur of United State gold. Population: 2 in 67, 1 finer (12/04).

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 28HM, PCGS# 908549, GSID# 10199)

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