The Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle: A Legacy like No Other
The Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle’s design carries a legacy unrivaled by any other American coin design. For over a century, the motif has been celebrated for its unprecedented artistry and timeless beauty. Though the design is adored by all, many people don’t know the equally fascinating story as to how the Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle came to be.
In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt, a true man of culture, took a trip to the Smithsonian Institution to enjoy a day of viewing the museum’s artwork. While there, he studied a collection of ancient Greek coins that made a profound impression on him. The president was so moved by the coins’ beauty that he wanted the United States’ coinage to emulate a similar level of artistry. Inspired, he wrote the following to the Secretary of the Treasury, Leslie Shaw:
“I think our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness. Would it be possible, without asking the permission of Congress, to employ a man like Saint-Gaudens to give us a coinage that would have some beauty?”
The Saint-Gaudens to whom Roosevelt referred was Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a renowned sculptor regarded as one of the finest craftsmen in the world. Just months later in March 1905, the president contracted Saint-Gaudens to engrave a medal for his inauguration, much to the distaste of Mint Chief Engraver Charles Barber. Though Barber had crafted the official inaugural medal, Roosevelt found it drab and turned to Saint-Gaudens for a finer piece. In a letter regarding Saint-Gaudens’ medal, Roosevelt wrote, “Thank Heaven we have at last some artistic work of permanent worth done for the government … I don't want to slop over, but I feel just as if we had suddenly imported a little of Greece of the 5th or 4th centuries B.C. into America.”
When Saint-Gaudens learned of Roosevelt’s interest in employing him to design new American coinage, he was flattered. In a letter to the president, he wrote, “I am extremely interested in the matter of the new designs for the coinage and am honored by your desire that I should give thought and advice on the subject.”
In an unprecedented move, President Roosevelt commissioned Saint-Gaudens to create a design for a circulating piece of American coinage. This was the first time in US history that an artist was contracted to design a coin, as opposed to a Mint employee designing the coin in-house.
To emulate the style of the ancient Greek coins, and to protect the artistry of the coin’s design, President Roosevelt proposed the new double eagle be struck in high relief. Saint-Gaudens agreed but the two were met with objection from Barber, who argued the high relief format would make it impossible to strike the coins efficiently. Paying no mind to Barber, the plan moved forward and the very first examples were struck in high relief.
To both Roosevelt and Saint-Gaudens, the new double eagle’s obverse was to symbolize the strength of the United States and its emergence as a global superpower. Such a message would command a powerful design.
As was customary, the obverse design centered around a depiction of Lady Liberty. In Saint-Gaudens’ design, a full-bodied Liberty strides forward as a torch lights the path before her. The torch represents enlightenment, sending the message that wherever enlightenment goes, liberty follows. She raises an olive branch in her other hand, symbolizing America’s desire for peace. The U.S. Capitol resides in the background, noting that Liberty had already visited the United States and was on her way to enlighten the rest of the world. Rays of sunshine signal the hope of a new day, just as Liberty brought a new hope to America. And, in yet another unprecedented move, the date was displayed in Roman Numerals- a sight never before seen on an American coin.
The reverse design was to resemble the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent, a coin Saint-Gaudens himself revered. Of the Cent, he said he “was so impressed by it that I thought if carried out with some modifications, nothing better could be done. It is by all odds the best design on any American coin." Thus, Saint-Gaudens’ design bore an undeniable resemblance to that of his favorite US coin. It depicts a young bald eagle flying over a rising sun, symbolizing America’s youth and its potential to share its gifts with the world.
Finishing the design proved a difficult task for Saint-Gaudens, as he had fallen ill to cancer and was hospitalized for some time. Despite his illness, however, he finished the designs and submitted the plaster models to the Mint. Upon seeing the designs in person, President Roosevelt called them those of “one coinage which shall be as good as that of the ancient Greeks.”
The coins were struck in high relief, but as Barber had warned, it proved an incredibly difficult and inefficient task. Each coin had to be struck nine times in order to attain the desired high relief finish, which stalled production immensely. To the chagrin of Roosevelt and Saint-Gaudens, Barber’s advice was followed and the coins were to be struck in standard relief.
When the coin’s relief was adjusted, other changes followed. The motto “In God We Trust” was added to the reverse. Roosevelt had originally protested the phrase, arguing it was un-Christian and promoted the worship of money. Alas, public outcry prevailed and the motto was added in 1908. Additionally, the date was changed from Roman to Arabic numerals.
Adjustments intact, the coin was tremendously popular and quickly garnered the adoration of all. In fact, it was so successful that it inspired design changes to nearly all American coinage. This phenomenon, known as “The Renaissance of American Coinage,” ushered in legendary designs like the Mercury Dime, the Walking Liberty Half Dollar, the Lincoln Cent and the Buffalo Nickel.
One slight design change was made in 1912 when two more stars were added to the edge of the obverse. These were added to symbolize the addition of New Mexico and Arizona as the 47th and 48th states admitted to the Union. This created a little known third type of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle that was struck from 1912 to the conclusion of the series.
Proof Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagles were only struck for 7 years and in extremely low numbers. In 2022, RCTV placed a client a Proof 1912 Saint-Gaudens graded in Proof 67+ condition. Just 74 of this magnificient coin were struck, with only 1 graded in PF67+ condition.
The Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle was struck annually until 1933, when gold coins were discontinued in the wake of the Great Depression. The design remained retired until 1986, when the obverse was repurposed for the American Gold Eagle. Today, Gold Eagles are one of the most widely-collected coins in all of numismatics and, unsurprisingly, are beloved for their resurrection of America’s most iconic coin design.
Through the decades, no coin has earned prestige at the level of the Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. From its beauty, to all the effort that went into producing it, the Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle truly carries a legacy that will never be matched.
