Numismatic

1866-1876 $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle Type 2 XF

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During a decade spanning 1866 to 1876, the United States mints produced a refined version of its largest circulating gold coin. This Type 2 Liberty Double Eagle contains 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, representing a substantial piece of nineteenth-century currency. These massive coins emerged from various minting facilities across the country, including Philadelphia, Carson City, Denver, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Over the decades, many of these issues were melted down, making surviving specimens particularly intriguing to study. The design, created by James B. Longacre, presents a left-facing portrait of Liberty on the obverse. Her hair is bound by a band clearly displaying the word LIBERTY, and she is encircled by thirteen stars representing the original colonies. On the reverse, Longacre placed a detailed heraldic eagle holding a shield on its chest. The eagle is surrounded by the country name, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, alongside the denomination, TWENTY D. An oval of thirteen stars sits directly above the eagle, accompanied by the national motto, IN GOD WE TRUST, which was added to the design during this specific era.