Gold $20 Double Eagles Bullion Coins United States (Best Value)

Mixed-date best value United States gold Double Eagle coins in bullion condition, chosen from our current inventory.

Obverse

The obverse of the coin you'll receive will either be the Coronet Head design (1866-1907) by James Longacre or the Lady Liberty design (1907-1933) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Reverse

Depending on the date, the reverse will either feature a stylised Great American Seal (1850-1907) by James Longacre or a bald eagle in mid-flight (1907-33) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, depending on the coin selected from our stock.

Edge

St Gaudens Double Eagles have stars and lettering on their edges, which reads 'E · PLURIBUS · UNUM'. Coronet Head Double Eagles have a plain milled edge.

Presentation

Pre-owned, supplied loose in bullion condition. May have slight edge knocks or scratches, which is perfectly normal for bullion coins and won't detract from their precious metal value.

Buy United States Double Eagle Coins

Under the US Coinage Act 1849, the gold Double Eagle was first issued as a circulating coin in 1850 and became one of the most well-known and famous gold coins in the world. Some sources state the first issue as 1849, but this is technically incorrect as this was a pattern. At the time, the US Dollar was pegged to gold at $20.67 per troy ounce, which gave the Double Eagle a legal tender value of Twenty Dollars. Smaller US gold coins, such as the Eagle, Half Eagle and Quarter Eagle follow this pattern, being denominated respectively as $10.00, $5.00 and $2.50.

All genuine gold Double Eagles are composed of 33.436 grams of 0.900 gold. The rest of the alloy is composed of copper and traces of silver. This gives the coin a total weight of 1.0750 troy ounces, but note the actual gold weight is 0.9675 troy ounces.

The 0.900 fineness of these Double Eagles is in contrast to the 22 carat (0.917 fine) crown gold used in circulating British gold coins like the Sovereign and the Guinea. Notwithstanding, they still qualify as investment gold under current HMRC regulations, which means they're VAT exempt. However, any profit made on their resale is liable to Capital Gains Tax in the UK.

United States Mint Gold Investment Coins

The US Mint is responsible for striking the coinage of the US Dollar on behalf of the US Treasury. Although the US declared independence from the British Empire in 1776, it would be another 16 years before the revolutionary government established its own mint and currency. Under the Coinage Act 1792, a mint was established in Philadelphia and a series of gold, silver and base metal coins were authorised to be struck. Famous examples, aside from Double Eagles, are the silver Morgan Dollars and gold $10 Eagles.

Branch mints were opened in areas where gold and silver deposits were discovered in order to process metals into coinage more efficiently. A total of nine mint facilities have been operated by the US Mint in its history, with eight based in the continental United States and one based overseas in Manila, the Philippines. Today, four of these mints are operating: Philadelphia (1792), West Point (1988), San Francisco (1854) and Denver (1906). The closed mints with the years of operation are Charlotte (1838-61), Dahlonega (1838-61), New Orleans (1838-1909), Carson City (1870-93) and Manila (1920-41).

Following the lead of the South African Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint, in 1986 the US Mint began issuing troy ounce bullion coins for investment. The famous St Gaudens 'Lady Liberty' design was repurposed and placed on the obverse of the gold bullion coins, which were confusingly referred to as Eagles. These coins, issued every year since 1986, are completely separate from the circulating Eagles minted prior to 1933. As well as manufacturing bullion and circulating coins, a wide range of collectable and proof coins are also produced by the US Mint, with their products renowned for their high quality, original design and collectability.

Collecting Liberty Coronet Head Double Eagles

The Coronet Head was the original design for the Double Eagle coin. ​​Also known as the 'Spread Eagle' design, both sides of this coin were created by the Chief Engraver of the US Mint, James Longacre. It first appeared in a pattern design in 1849 and was commissioned for use when the coins were struck for circulation from 1850.

The obverse consists of a coronet bust of Lady Liberty, surrounded by 13 stars representing the original 13 colonies which succeeded from British rule. On the reverse, the Great Seal of the United States takes centre place, with the phrase 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA', 'TWENTY DOLLARS', 'IN GOD WE TRUST' and 'E PLURIBUS UNUM'. Coins issued from 1850 to 1876 have a face value of 'TWENTY D.', and coins from 1850 to 1866 have no motto.

Longacre's design was not universally popular at the time, and by the early 20th century there was pressure from President Theodore Roosevelt to reform the nation's coinage. The Coronet Double Eagle was a casualty of this coin design reform, with the last coin bearing Longacre's designs issued in 1907. Despite the mixed response to the coin in its circulation years, the Coronet Head Double Eagle is popular with coin collectors and precious metal investors.

Investing In St Gaudens Gold Double Eagles

Replacing the Coronet Head in 1907 is the famed St Gaudens Double Eagle, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coins ever issued for general circulation. Sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens was commissioned by the US Mint to create the new design for the Double Eagle, with the issue encouraged by President Theodore Roosevelt.

The obverse shows Lady Liberty aloft holding an olive branch and burning torch, with the US Capitol and sun rays in the background. The inscription reads 'LIBERTY' along with the date. On the reverse, a bald eagle in flight with rays of sunshine in the background is visible, with the text reading as 'UNITED·STATES·OF·AMERICA', 'TWENTY·DOLLARS' and 'IN·GOD·WE·TRUST'. The motto was originally omitted, but after a public outcry it was included from 1908. 

Unfortunately Saint Gaudens died in 1907, months before his coin was released into general circulation. His design remains massively appreciated in the numismatic world, with his engravings being used on replicas and even on the modern range of gold bullion Eagle coins issued from 1986.

What Mintmarks Are Used On Double Eagles?

You'll find the following mintmarks on gold Double Eagle coins. Generally speaking, these mints produced Double Eagles every year, but note that Denver and Carson City issued these coins more sporadically. Our blog has a more in-depth analysis of Double Eagle Mintage Figures and availability.

Rare 1933 United States Gold Double Eagles

Perhaps the rarest and most valuable gold coin in the world is the 1933 Double Eagle. The allure of this extremely scarce gold coin is because of its inextricable link to US President Franklin Roosevelt's Executive Order 6102. Although 445,500 specimens were struck by the Philadelphia Mint, they were never officially issued by the US Treasury. Subsequently, they were ordered to be melted down with only two coins to be spared. Naturally, a few coins escaped the melting pot. Only 14 coins are known to have survived, and the US Government considers the possession of genuine 1933 Double Eagles to be illegal (with the exception of one).

We think we can guarantee that either two things will be true if you find yourself in possession of a 1933 Double Eagle: the specimen you have is fake, or the US Government will ruthlessly pursue you to get its property back!

Buy Gold Bullion Double Eagles In The UK

If you're looking for investment gold coins with a bit of history and character behind them, then US Double Eagles are an excellent choice. Here are several more reasons why you should consider adding them to your gold stack:

• Popularity - Double Eagles are world famous and recognised everywhere
• Cost - You can buy Double Eagles at small margins above the live gold price
• Historical - These coins were originally circulating currency with a face value of $20
• Physical Asset - Gold is a physical, tangible asset. You can touch it, hold it, keep it wherever you like.
• Liquid Asset - Selling Double Eagle coins is very easy as there's a strong buyer market for gold coins

Sell Gold Double Eagles

We offer excellent rates for gold Double Eagles, and will pay more for rare dates and mintmarks. If you'd like to find out how to sell your coins to us then have a look at our Sell Your Coins page. Alternatively, you can get in contact with our friendly experts by telephone, email or even by popping into our showroom in Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. No appointment necessary!