1907 High Relief (1909 $20 High Relief) Wire Edge, PCGS MS63. Simmering luster and originality characterize this Saint-Gaudens’ double eagle. It is lustrous on both sides, particularly on Liberty’s hair, shoulders, foot as well as the rock on which the foot is placed. The reverse shows bright luster on the tops of the eagle’s wings, head and neck. There are a few small contact marks hidden in the drapery, the eagle’s feathers, and the rays of the sun which probably keep the coin from grading a point or two higher. While full on the obverse, the strike shows some minor weakness on the reverse.

The Augustus Saint-Gaudens double eagle was struck in 1907. It uses Roman numerals for the date and is made in high relief. Clearly Saint-Gaudens was very influenced by the coinage of ancient Greece. He designed this coin at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, who thought the contemporary designs were “atrociously hideous.” Roosevelt’s longtime desire was to free the national coinage from dullness and give it beauty and dignity. Unfortunately Saint-Gaudens was ill, and he never got to see his magnificent double eagle in production. It was left to the jealous Charles Barber to complete Saint-Gaudens’ task.

Despite Barber’s objections, Roosevelt ordered the new high relief dies placed into use. Because of the relief, each striking required five blows. The coins were criticized by the banking industry because they wouldn’t stack. Many had a raised knife rim or flange, known as a “wire edge,” such as the present coin. The wire edge was around half or more of one or both sides of the coin because metal was squeezed between the collar and the die. Most researchers believe that the flange was made unintentionally since it caused problems in ejecting the coins as they were struck. Barber seized on this as another reason to lower the relief on the coin.

In order to provide a larger surface on which to work, Saint-Gaudens placed the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM on the edge of the coin. In 1908 IN GOD WE TRUST was added despite President Roosevelt’s objections.

While these double eagles are not particularly rare, collector demand has always made it one of the more difficult to obtain in mint condition.