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

Description

Exceptional MS65 1907 High Relief Twenty

1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Rim MS65 PCGS. CAC. President Roosevelt believed U.S. coinage at the turn of the last century was bland and uninspired. In fact, he went even further and said it was "artistically of atrocious hideousness." Roosevelt did know what he liked, and he liked the inaugural medal done by Augustus Saint-Gaudens after his election in 1904. He summoned the sculptor to the White House in 1905 and they spoke at length about coinage. Both agreed the high point of artistic achievement in coinage was realized by the high relief coinage of the ancient Greeks.
Roosevelt enlisted Saint-Gaudens support for redesigning U.S. coinage. It took two years for the sculptor to work the coin designs in between his other commissions. Mint procrastination was also a factor in the delay of the production of the coins, in part caused by Mint personnel's unfamiliarity with the striking of high relief coinage. At last an exasperated Theodore Roosevelt exclaimed, "Begin the new issue even if it takes you all day to strike one piece." The ten dollar design was a modification of his monumental sculpture at the entrance of Central Park. The twenty dollar design was inspired by the Nike of Samothrace that stands atop the Grand Staircase in the Louvre.
This is a magnificent example of Saint-Gaudens' concept realized in high relief. The surfaces appear flawless and are covered with softly frosted mint luster that shows slight reddish patina. The striking details are fully articulated in all areas, as one would expect, and it appears that the wire rim is complete around each side.
From The James Mossman Collection.(Registry values: N7079)

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

Weight: 33.44 grams

Metal: Gold

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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