Numismatic

1855 $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle AU-53 NGC

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In 1855, the United States Mint produced this impressive twenty dollar gold piece, a denomination known as the double eagle. Containing 0.9675 troy ounces of gold at a purity of 0.900, this heavy coin was a workhorse of American commerce during the mid nineteenth century. The series itself enjoyed a long production run, spanning from 1850 to 1907. The design, created by James B. Longacre, presents a classic representation of Liberty on the obverse. She faces left, her hair secured, wearing a coronet bordered with pearls that clearly displays the word LIBERTY. The year 1855 is stamped below her portrait. On the reverse, a majestic eagle spreads its wings, holding a shield upon its chest. Above the eagle, an oval of thirteen stars is surrounded by a halo of rays, representing the original colonies. The outer rim is inscribed with United States of America and the denomination Twenty D.