1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Value Guide

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1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Estimated Value
$7,000,000 – $7,700,000
Period
1933
Origin
United States
Materials
90% gold, 10% copper

The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is a legendary United States twenty-dollar gold coin, famous for its near-total destruction following the 1933 Gold Reserve Act. Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens at the request of Theodore Roosevelt, its rarity stems from the few specimens that escaped the Mint before the rest were melted. It remains one of the most valuable and legally complex rarities in the numismatic world.

What Is 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Worth?

The typical price range for 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is $7,000,000 - $7,700,000 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

  • Extreme rarity due to the mass melting of the original 445,500 mintage.
  • Historical significance as a symbol of the end of the gold standard in the United States.
  • Legal status and provenance, as only a few specimens are authorized for private ownership.
  • Exceptional numismatic demand, often setting world records at high-profile auctions.

How to Identify 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle?

  • Verify the 1933 date on the obverse below the figure of Lady Liberty.
  • Check for the 90% gold and 10% copper composition characteristic of early 20th-century US coinage.
  • Look for the distinct Augustus Saint-Gaudens design featuring a soaring eagle on the reverse.
  • Ensure the coin has a documented legal provenance, as most were ordered destroyed by the Secret Service.

History of 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt to beautify American coinage, the 1933 Double Eagle is legendary. Although 445,500 were struck, they were ordered melted down following the 1933 Gold Reserve Act. A handful escaped the Mint, leading to decades of legal battles and Secret Service confiscations. Today, it is one of the most valuable and sought-after rarities in the numismatic world.

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