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 Proof 1904
Double Eagle - Proof 1907 High Relief
The twentieth century saw
two major design types of double eagles. The first, minted
from 1850 to 1907 is a Longacre Liberty Head. The second,
minted from 1907 to 1933 is a Saint-Gaudens double eagle.
A modest two coin set would, of course, be one of each type.
More ambitious would be two rare coins of these types. Even
more challenging would be two proof coins using the two
designs.
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. Within the oval is the motto
IN GOD WE TRUST. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
is in an arc above the eagle, and the denomination TWENTY
DOLLARS is below.
In 1907 a new double eagle
was issued. Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the high
relief coins were modified for commercial use in the same
year and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added in the next
year. These changes were done by Charles Barber after Saint-Gaudens’
death. 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, 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.
Proof
1904 Double Eagle - The present coin
has a frosty look, so the cameo designation is correctly
awarded by PCGS. Bold details, as can be expected
for a proof, are seen on both sides. The color is
a wonderful orange-yellow gold, which increases the
high eye appeal of this coin even more. The fields
are clean of any major hairlines or other distractions,
and without strong magnification this coin looks even
finer than a 65. This is a rare opportunity to acquire
one of the finest known, and definitely one of the
best looking proof 1904 double eagles.
Proof
1907 High Relief - This shimmering,
Select proof 1907 High Relief, Wire Rim double eagle
has a three dimensional, medallic strike. Full details
are on the left knee, the Capitol building, and the
high points at the top of the wings. There is slight
weakness at the bottom of the reverse rays of the
sun. Of course no wear is present on this pleasing
piece. Aside from some wispy lines and a few hairlines
hidden in the rays of the obverse, the surfaces are
clean and original. The combined effect of the mint
luster and sharp strike give the coin its visual satisfaction
and tremendous appeal.
