Lot 1791
1907. High relief, Roman numerals, wire rim. NGC graded MS-65. A lovely untoned gem that offers the expected needle sharp strike, exemplary boly devices and radiant mint luster throughout., The surfaces are outstanding, with scarcely any hint of contact from handling. Am amazing example for the specialist! The wire rim is generally intact, as this feature--with its delicate and thin gold raised structure, is often quite misshapen by even careful handling. Rarely found so well preserved and attractive, and especially so at this desirable grade level.
The history of the design of the Saint-Gaudens double eagle is most extraordinary. Then President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt considered the current coinage of 1906-7 "atrociously hideous". He went beyond the politically dangerous walls of the Mint to emply an outsider to submit new coinage designs. Entrusting his instincts, Roosevelt asked the famed artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens to come up with new designs fo the doubled eagle and eagle, and possibly other denominations. Clearly the most important coins were these two large denomination gold coins, and after years of being shut out from realistic competition for coinage deaigns, Saint-Gaudens was ready for the challenge to take on the Mint's long standing beauracracy. Despite fighting his own physical deamons of a terminal illness, Saint-Gaudens pressed on, creating what is arguably the most beautiful coinage design in modern history, the Ultra High Relief 1907 double eagle. With slight modifications that remained quite true to this elegant concept, the 1907 High Relief coins were struck, sadly as Saint-Gaudens had just passed away on August 7, 1907; never seeing the fruits of his incredible design in hand at his studio in New York where he spent his final days.
Saint-Gaudens had a trusted and able assistant at the time named Herny Herring, who fought to keep his mentor's designs as intact as possible. Thus, the "High Relief" coins of 1907 became a reality in late 1907, even after their designer's passing to the world beyond. Over 11,000 1907 High Relief double eagles were struck. Mint officials, noteably engraver William E. Barber, were mortified and stupified, that coining EACH 1907 High Relief double eagle would take up to five strikes to coin each piece. Roosevelt, upon hearing of Barber's objections, stated "Begin the issue even if it takes you all day to strike one piece!" Production crawled along in late 1907, the President, the family and staff of Saint-Gaudens and Mint staff at total loggerheads while the sands of time flowed through the hour glass of life. Mint Engraver Barber came up with a solution to what he considered a massive production log jam. Barber greatly lowered the depth of the relief of the design, which essentially took a three deminsional concept and reduced it to a more two-diminsional rendering, and found approval in the political winds of change. Hence Saint-Gaudens concept, inspired by the hand struck elegant coins of the Greeks, became somewhat more mundane, more average, but acceptable to the powers at the Mint that overwhelmed what Roosevelt desired along with his fleeting dreams. Truly the hallmark of any advanced collection is having a high grade representative 1907 High Relief double eagle, and here isa solid opportunity to obtain a high end example in Gem of this coveted and historic issue. Popular type coin. Only 12,367 struck. Estimate Value $35,000 - UP
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