Lot 2311
1907 $20 St. Gaudens. High relief, wire rim. PCGS graded MS-64. Well struck. Nice golden toning. Collectors who see one of these for the first time are almost all stunned by their beauty! And indeed, that is exactly what this is, a satiny beauty that draws ever so near to gem quality in all areas, especially to the unaided eye. Full yellow gold with a distinctive olive cast typical for these. Wire rim details, caused by the multiple blows of the dies rather than being part of the design, and this is seen around much of the obverse. A delightful example of President Theodore Roosevelt's "pet" project, a medal-like specimen in high relief with distinctive Roman numerals that would bedeck nicely any double eagle collection. 12,367 coins minted. Pop 954; 345 finer. (PCGS # 9135) .
"High Reliefs were struck in 3 blows of the dies on a medal press in the Philadelphia Mint," according to Stack's, in reference to a unique plain edge 1907 High Relief $20 gold piece the firm auction in January 2006. "The first two strikings were made utilizing a plain collar, presumably to prevent the raised edge lettering from being disfigured from successive strikings. It was only during the third striking that the plain collar was replaced by the lettered collar to produce a ''complete'' High Relief Double Eagle with Lettered Edge. Due to the work-hardening of metal that results from the pressures of the striking process, the as yet ''incomplete'' coin was removed from the press after the first and second strikings to be annealed, or softened by heating."
Estimated Value $28,000 - 30,000.
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| Realized $28,750 |
