1907 $20 MS68 PCGS....

Description

1907 Arabic Numerals Double Eagle, MS68
Important First-Year Issue
Single-Finest Certified Example
Ex: Phillip H. Morse

1907 $20 MS68 PCGS. Ex: Fox. After Augustus Saint-Gaudens' death on August 3, 1907, his assistant Henry Hering attempted to modify his high relief design for the double eagle to make it practical for high-speed coinage operations. Unfortunately, Hering's attempts were not successful and it was left to Mint Chief Engraver Charles Barber to make the final adjustments to the design. Under considerable pressure from President Theodore Roosevelt to get the job done, Barber lowered the relief considerably and changed the date from Roman Numerals to Arabic Numerals, touching up some finer details by hand. Unfortunately, the compromises in design resulted in some lack of detail on the working dies, giving the coins a slightly flattened aspect, even when fully struck.

The first coins of the Arabic Numerals design were delivered on December 3, 1907, but problems with the three-part segmented collar delayed production for another 13 days. Philadelphia Mint personnel made heroic efforts after the problems were solved, and succeeded in striking 361,667 double eagles of the new design by the end of the year. President Roosevelt expressed satisfaction with the result and the general public embraced the new design enthusiastically for its obvious artistic merit. Many high-quality examples were saved for their novelty value, making the 1907 one of the most available dates of the series in high grade.

The present coin is a magnificent MS68 specimen, the finest ever certified by either PCGS or NGC (9/19). The surfaces project a frosty appearance with vibrant mint luster and terrific eye appeal. Variegated peach, orange, and greenish-gold coloration with subtle accents of rose and powder-blue covers each side. The design elements are exquisitely struck, with fine definition apparent on the Capitol, on the leaves beneath the rock, and on the eagle's feathers. The pristine surfaces display no mentionable marks. For the Registry Set enthusiast, there is no adequate substitute for this finest-certified example. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts. Population: 1 in 68, 0 finer (9/19).
Ex: Phillip H. Morse Collection (Heritage, 11/2005), lot 6530, as MS67 PCGS, realized $48,875; Rollo Fox Collection.

David Akers (2008) Comments:
Despite its undeniable beauty and popularity with the contemporary public, the High Relief Double Eagle had the same problem as its Ultra High Relief predecessor; namely, the striking process was too time-consuming to serve effectively for long-term production. Accordingly, Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber lowered the relief on Saint-Gaudens' existing hubs and master dies and then touched up the finer design elements by hand. The result is the Arabic Numerals design that would remain essentially unchanged through the end of the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series in 1933.
From The Rollo Fox Collection of $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold. (Registry values: N1)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26F5, PCGS# 9141, Greysheet# 10132)

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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