The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of 1857-S Double
Eagle - 1907 Saint Gaudens
A two coin type set of double
eagles consists of a Longacre Liberty Head double eagle
and a Saint-Gaudens’ double eagle. The Liberty Head,
also called the Coronet, double eagle had been minted since
1850. In 1907 it was supplanted by the Saint-Gaudens’
design.
Longacre’s design
for the double eagle shows a Liberty head facing left, wearing
coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Her hair is tightly tied in the
back with two loose curls hanging down her neck to the end
of the truncation. She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed
stars with the date below. Dentils are near the edge on
both sides of the coin.
The reverse shows a heraldic
eagle with elaborate ribbons on both sides of the shield
extending from the top corner down to the eagle’s
tail feathers. The ribbons are inscribed, on the left E
PLURIBUS and UNUM on the right. The ribbons were added to
the design to symbolize the denomination since this was
the first twenty dollar coin. There is an oval of thirteen
stars above the eagle’s head and an arc of rays from
wing tip to wing tip behind the upper half of the oval.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc above the eagle, and
the denomination TWENTY D. is below. The mintmark is between
the tail feathers and the N of TWENTY.
1857-S
Double Eagle - This well struck,
Western branch mint, salvaged 1857-S double eagle
comes with the provenance of the SS Central America.
The coin shows full details on the centers of the
stars, Liberty’s hair, and the design elements
of the reverse, especially the eagle.
The surfaces are original and clean
with just a few light abrasion marks, none so significant
that warrant individual description. The smudge marks
on the shield and the eagle’s tail feathers
are on the holder. The coin’s beauty is enhanced
by its full luster. The CAC sticker indicates that
the coin is a premium quality piece and well within
the grade range assigned.
1907
Saint Gaudens - The 1907 No Motto
double eagle was the first coin issued that was redone
according to Charles Barber’s wishes. Barber
was the Mint Engraver in whom President Theodore Roosevelt
had no confidence when the president asked Saint-Gaudens
to design the new coinage. His “pet crime”
was that he would bypass the mundane Barber for a
real artist who was capable of transforming the national
coinage. The design that Saint-Gaudens developed was
so outstanding that even with the modifications that
Barber made as seen in the present coin, the creativity
of the artist still is evident. In fact this design,
with modifications, is still in use today in the American
Eagle Gold bullion program.
This desirable Saint-Gaudens double
eagle shimmers with subdued mint luster. A couple
of ticks on the obverse and a few wispy lines on the
reverse keep it from a gem mint state grade. The plus
assigned by PCGS indicates that the coin is in the
top of the MS64 grade range. The strike shows slight
central weakness on the obverse and slight weakness
on the sun’s rays on the reverse.
