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Auction 394 | Lot 3604 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1912 $20 MS65 NGC. As befits the limited original mintage of fewer than 150,000 pieces, the 1912 is a conditionally scarce issue that is infrequently offered at the Gem level of preservation. The light green-gold and pink surfaces are rather well preserved for the issue, with only a few minor abrasions. The strike is typical, but all major features are nicely defined. Both sides display an original, frosty sheen that provides above average eye appeal, even for a Gem. Most of the Philadelphia Mint issues from 1909 through 1915 are rarities in higher Mint State grades, with the exception of 1910. Although it is not as rare as the other dates, the 1912 issue is still given a "High R.7" rarity rating from David Akers. PCGS and NGC have combined to grade just 33 examples at the Gem level, with only seven finer coins (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9160)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $14,950.00

Auction 394 | Lot 3629 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1932 $20 MS65 NGC. In the early 1930s, few gold coins were distributed, despite instances of rather large mintages. This issue is a good example, with a mintage in excess of 1 million coins, but with one of the lowest populations in the entire series. In all grades combined, this issue has the fifth lowest population of any issue, according to the current NGC Census. Only the 1927-D, 1930-S, 1931, and 1931-D double eagles have lower total populations. In addition to the small distribution, those that were released generally did not circulate. The lowest grade example of this date certified by NGC is MS61.

Some scholars have estimated that the told surviving population of this issue could be limited to just 100 coins or less. In earlier years, even a smaller population had been suggested. In his Complete Encyclopedia, Walter Breen suggested that only about 20 to 25 examples survive today. Earlier, in his 1982 analysis, David Akers suggested that about 50 to 60 examples survive. In the 2004 A Guide Book of Double Eagle Gold Coins, author Q. David Bowers suggested a total population of 60 to 80 coins.

This Gem specimen is sharply struck with essentially complete details on both sides. Liberty's nose and forehead are a little flat and marked, and a few of the intricate details of the city scene are not full, but those are the only points of weakness that we see. The obverse and reverse rims are sharply beveled, and this is typical of most or all known examples. Splendid quality surfaces have exceptional satiny yellow-gold luster. All of the physical attributes of this wonderful Gem combine to create a splendid aesthetic appeal. This is truly a coin for the connoisseur, one which will delight even the most fastidious collector. It is a coin for the ages.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9194)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $63,250.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5808 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1907 $20 Arabic Numerals MS65 PCGS. Variegated orange-gold and lime-green colors dance over fully lustrous surfaces. The design features are well impressed, with nice definition on the leaves beneath the rock, on the Capitol building, and on Liberty's fingers and toes. Refreshingly well preserved, with just one mentionable small unobtrusive mark directly above the eagle's right wing. This piece exhibits considerable "snap."
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9141)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $2,990.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5835 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1908 $20 No Motto MS66 PCGS. Ex: Wells Fargo Nevada Gold. The Capitol building and Liberty's fingers and toes are crisply struck, while her nose and the lowest portion of the eagle's leg have only slight highpoint softness, as made. Lustrous and nearly pristine; a miniscule mark on Liberty's left breast is mentioned for accuracy. Pebbly-like surfaces yield pleasing peach-gold color. President Theodore Roosevelt believed that the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was blasphemous, since currency could be used for any purpose. Congress disagreed, however, and No Motto Twenties were only struck for two years. PCGS has certified just 42 pieces finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9142)

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Grade MS66

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $2,990.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5857 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1908-D $20 Motto MS65 PCGS. A popular better-date issue, though not the rarity it was before the discovery of a hoard about twenty years ago. Conditionally scarce, this example has honey-golden tinted surfaces and a sharp strike that characterize the issue and is relatively free of the notable imperfections that mar many of its lower grade counterparts. Liberty's toes and fingers and the Capitol building are razor sharp, though the nose reveals minor softness. Somewhat frosty luster and nice eye appeal. PCGS has graded just 16 specimens finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9148)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,312.50

Auction 394 | Lot 3599 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1909-D $20 MS65 PCGS. This issue's original mintage of 52,500 pieces is the fourth lowest in the Saint-Gaudens series, after the 1907 High Relief, 1908-S, and 1913-S. At one time, numismatists considered that the '09-D was virtually unobtainable in Mint State. The emergence of a small hoard in Central America now means that advanced collectors can acquire a BU or Select quality representative with some patience and a decent amount of money. Near-Gems and Gems are still, however, rare, and even the right amount of money does not guarantee that one will be able to acquire an example in a reasonable amount of time. That said, advanced Double Eagle collectors would be wise to take full advantage of the opportunity that this PCGS-certified Gem represents. The luster is well frosted throughout with a rich endowment of reddish-gold and mint-green coloration. For the type, the strike is bold, and, although slightly abraded, both sides are uncommonly smooth for a gold coin of this size. NGC and PCGS have seen just 16 coins of this mintmarked date in MS65, with a mere 5 specimens finer (11/05).

Interestingly, this also appears to be a possible example of the D over D variety discovered by Dave Bowers in 1988, and described by him this way in the Norweb Collection Part III catalog: "Under magnification, to the right of the mintmark is seen a veritable "bird's nest" of curly lines, raised lines in the coin, indicating these lines were in the die-a quite fascinating situation. Under magnification, there appears a tiny 'D' mintmark under the regular-sized letter. It is likely that this tiny D was punched by error. Some of these grinding marks are what remain today as curlicues. Then the regular-sized wide D mintmark was overpunched."
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9152)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $35,793.75

Auction 394 | Lot 5878 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1909-S $20 MS65 NGC. After the hoard of 1909-S Saints entered the market some 15 years ago, this has become one of the more available issues among the early issues in the series. But it is still a scarce and important coin in Gem condition. The surfaces display the reddish tinged mint frost that is usually seen on this issue and the striking details are sharply defined in all areas. However, unlike most of the El Salvador Hoard pieces, this one shows only the slightest post-striking impairments. Exceptional quality. NGC and PCGS together have seen only 10 pieces grading finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9153)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,600.00

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Auction 394 | Lot 5883 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1910 $20 MS65 PCGS. The 1910 starts to become scarce at the MS64 level; it is more difficult to obtain in full Gem, and is nearly unobtainable above that. This example displays pleasing apricot-gold patination imbued with subtle tinges of lime-green. Except for minor softness on the Capitol dome, the design features are sharply impressed. Lustrous surfaces are devoid of significant contact marks on both sides. Population: 73 in 65, 3 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9154)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $8,625.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5890 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1910-D $20 MS65 PCGS. Shades of apricot-gold color characterize both sides of this D-Mint Gem. The surfaces are somewhat grainy, as sometimes seen on this issue, and exhibit radiant luster. They are also well preserved, displaying just a few minute marks on Liberty's legs and in the right (facing) obverse field. The devices reveal nice definition, including good detail on the Capitol dome and adjacent stars, and on Liberty's face, fingers, and toes. NGC has seen only 30 pieces finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9155)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $3,220.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5901 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1910-S $20 MS65 NGC. Frosty and bright, with blazing orange-gold luster. An elusive issue in full Gem, as most seen are in much lower grades. The vast majority were melted into bricks for convenient storage at Fort Knox, making the reported mintages virtually irrelevant for this series. The present piece has a well preserved obverse and a few distributed small marks on the reverse. Sharp definition is noted on the design elements, including Liberty's face, fingers, and toes and the leaves on the olive branch; portions of the Capitol building reveal minor weakness. Census: 66 in 65, 6 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9156)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $6,900.00

Auction 394 | Lot 3601 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1911 $20 MS65 NGC. Scarce in this superior state of preservation, the fine-grain surfaces show an overlay of unusually pleasing coloration, and are very well struck, as well. Similar in high grade rarity to the 1908 Motto, among other P-mint issues from this era, this Gem 1911 double eagle is awash in fulsome frosty luster. Gorgeous, medium intensity, orange-gold color envelops surfaces that are free of all but a handful of scattered blemishes. Census: 41 in 65, 10 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9157)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $12,650.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5909 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1911-D $20 MS65 NGC. Frosty and essentially brilliant with just a hint of olive iridescence. A few scattered contact marks can be seen, but these are almost all on the reverse. The obverse is about as close to perfection as we've seen for an MS65 example.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9158)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,552.50

Auction 394 | Lot 5925 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1911-S $20 MS65 NGC. Potent luster and bright canary-gold color please the eye, and Liberty's face and torch fingers are crisp, as are the toes. Portions of the Capitol building, however, are somewhat weak. A few detectable marks are present but few in quantity. 1911 marked the end of 25 consecutive years of Double Eagle production at San Francisco; the denomination was not struck at the facility in 1886 or 1912. NGC has seen only 25 coins grading higher (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9159)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,600.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5943 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1913-D $20 MS65 NGC. This Gem specimen possesses vibrant luster and attractive apricot-gold surfaces. The design features are well brought up, including sharp definition on the Capitol building, and on Liberty's face, fingers, and toes. A few unobtrusive, minute marks on Liberty's motif are consistent with the grade level. The '13-D is nearly unobtainable in higher grades, as evidenced by the mere six specimens graded finer by NGC and PCGS combined (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9162)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,025.00

Auction 394 | Lot 3608 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1914 $20 MS65 PCGS. The 1914 Philadelphia issue of the Saint-Gaudens double eagle had a low original mintage of just 95,320 pieces. Lovely lime-green and peach toning adorns the satiny, matte-like surfaces of this visually enticing Gem. Soft, frosted mint luster illuminates the crisply struck design features and well preserved fields. This is an elusive date in grades higher than MS64, with only 28 examples graded MS65 or better by PCGS, and considerably fewer than that by NGC. Housed in a green label PCGS holder. PCGS Population: 25 in 65, 3 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9164)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $19,550.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5961 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1914-D $20 MS65 PCGS. Honey-gold surfaces display nice luster and traces of sublet lime-green undertones. Most of the design features are adequately brought up. A few minute marks scattered about, especially on the obverse, are not inconsistent with the grade designation. Forty-one pieces have been graded finer by PCGS (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9165)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $3,680.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5973 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1914-S $20 MS65 NGC. Rich orange-gold surfaces. Both the obverse and reverse exhibit satiny luster and outstanding eye appeal.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9166)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,370.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5983 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1915-S $20 MS65 NGC. Partially brilliant with blushes of olive-gold. A few tiny spots and flecks are noted, consistent with the grade, most prominently by the L in LIBERTY.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9168)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,495.00

Auction 394 | Lot 5996 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1916-S $20 MS65 NGC. While not as rare as the 1914-S or 1915-S, the 1916-S is a conditionally challenging issue that is difficult to locate as a Gem. Exceptionally well produced, the present example is vibrantly lustrous with subtle orange-gold color. We have no complaints about the strike, and the distraction-free surfaces possesses the eye appeal of an even higher grade. NGC has seen 84 pieces grading higher (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9169)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,955.00

Auction 394 | Lot 6010 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1922 $20 MS65 NGC. Undoubtedly, much of the mintage of the 1922 was eventually melted, but the issue remains available in contrast with its 1921 predecessor. Gems are elusive, however, since most 1922 survivors were indifferently stored for many years. Above the MS65 grade level, the issue is very difficult to obtain; NGC and PCGS have certified a total of only 12 examples finer than MS65 (11/05). This lustrous yellow-gold Gem is nicely struck and has splendidly smooth surfaces that are devoid of mentionable marks.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9173)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $2,530.00

Auction 394 | Lot 6021 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1923 $20 MS65 NGC. Dazzling luster emboldens this attractive Gem double eagle. Each side is bathed in bright apricot-gold patination. The design elements are sharply impressed, though the Capitol building is a tad soft in places. Generally well preserved, though some light handling marks in the upper right (facing) obverse field are mentioned for accuracy. The Philadelphia Mint run between 1922 and 1928 is considered common, but the 1923 in Gem is underestimated by the non-specialist. Census: 82 in 65, 0 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9175)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $4,600.00

Auction 394 | Lot 6028 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1923-D $20 MS65 NGC. Brilliant and satiny. The obverse closely approaches perfection. On the reverse, a shallow abrasion extends across the eagle's chest. Outstanding eye appeal overall.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9176)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,380.00

Auction 394 | Lot 6054 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1924 $20 MS65 NGC. A frosty Gem example toned in intermingled orange-gold and olive hues. The 1924 is acknowledged to be quite common overall, but only a tiny portion of them could match the quality offered here. A prize for the numismatist who appreciates outstanding specimens.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9177)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,840.00

Auction 394 | Lot 6075 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1925 $20 MS65 NGC. A lovely Gem example. Lustrous and almost fully brilliant with a few splashes of coppery iridescence, most prominently on the reverse. Not a rare issue, overall, but certainly desirable this nicely preserved.
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9180)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $1,725.00

Auction 394 | Lot 3617 » Double Eagles » Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

1925-D $20 MS65 NGC. In a year of moderate production at the Denver Mint, 2,938,500 double eagles were struck in 1925. Apparently, some of these were released into general circulation. However, as had been the case for a number of years, many newly minted 1925-D double eagles were sent to Europe, and remained stored in banks, primarily in Switzerland and France. At one time, the 1925-D was considered a major rarity, much more so than the 1920-S, 1930-S, 1931, and 1932. This was before an unknown quantity was discovered in the 1950s, followed by much larger quantities in Europe in the 1960s. Presently, the '25-D is regarded to be on a par in rarity with the 1924-D, although in finer Mint State grades (MS65 and better), it is slightly rarer, with only a dozen examples certified.

The current offering is a sharply struck Gem with beautiful coloration and lustrous, matte-like surfaces that have a layer of sparkling mint frost over both sides. The carefully preserved surfaces show a few of the scattered trivial nicks common to a coin at this grade level, and one slightly more noticeable mark, a lengthy superficial luster graze beneath LI in LIBERTY, tailing down into the left obverse field. Some very wispy pinscratches are also noted, for the sake of accuracy, in the field area just to the left of the lower torch. All in all, however, on the basis of eye appeal and technical merit combined, this piece seems entirely worthy of its lofty rating, which makes it one of the top dozen examples of its highly respected date and mintmark. Combined PCGS Population and NGC Census: 9 in 65, 3 finer (11/05).
From The Delbert McDougal Set of $20 Saint-Gaudens Coins. (PCGS# 9181)

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Grade MS65

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Jan 7, 2006

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Sold For: $48,875.00