1907 $20 High Relief, Flat Rim, MS66 PCGS....

Description

1907 High Relief Double Eagle, MS66
Scarcer Flat Rim Variety
Rarely Seen Finer

1907 $20 High Relief, Flat Rim, MS66 PCGS. The 1907 High Relief double eagle represents Augustus Saint-Gaudens' iconic design in splendid three-dimensional sculptural relief. In a recent article in Coin World, Steve Roach eloquently touched on the significance of Saint-Gaudens' design: "With his famed $10 eagle and $20 double eagle, American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens bridges American art and numismatics at the turn of the century." Saint-Gaudens, who began his career as a cameo cutter at the age of 13, was able to bridge the two fields by combining his sensibilities as a sculptor with his longstanding talent for working with circular relief carvings. The High Relief double eagle design is intricately detailed, with well-balanced design elements on both sides. It has often been called America's most beautiful coinage design.

Unfortunately, the high relief of the design proved unsuitable for high-speed modern coinage. Each coin had to be struck three times on the medal press to fully bring up the details of the design elements, with the planchet annealed between each striking. Even working round-the-clock overtime shifts, the Philadelphia Mint only succeeded in striking 12,367 High Relief double eagles by the end of the year. Most examples seen have a fin, or Wire Rim, around the circumference of the coin, caused by metal extruding through the gap between the dies and the collar during the striking process. This was considered an undesirable feature by Mint officials, and a major effort was made to correct it by adjusting the dimensions and upset angle of the planchets. Mint technicians finally succeeded in eliminating the wire rim late in the year. The Flat Rim variety was only struck in the second half of December and is seen much less often than its Wire Rim counterpart.

This spectacular Premium Gem displays the sharply detailed central design elements expected of this issue, with intricate detail evident on Liberty's gown, facial features, and torch hand. The impeccably preserved orange-gold surfaces radiate vibrant mint luster from both sides and the overall eye appeal is terrific. The 1907 High Relief double eagle is scarce at the MS66 grade level, and finer coins are rare. Population: 65 in 66 (4 in 66+), 15 finer (1/23).
From The 712 Collection, Part II. (Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26F2, PCGS# 9136, Greysheet# 10133)

Weight: 33.44 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

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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