Numismatic

1877 $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle AU

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In 1877, the Philadelphia Mint struck a significant run of twenty dollar gold coins intended for daily commerce and financial reserves. This issue contains 0.9675 troy ounces of fine gold alloyed with copper for durability. While 397,650 of these pieces were originally minted, their modern survival rate is much lower. Extensive melting campaigns, particularly after the United States abandoned the gold standard in 1933, permanently reduced the number of surviving specimens. The artwork on this coin was created by James B. Longacre, who served as the designer for this series produced from 1850 to 1907. On the obverse, a left-facing profile of Liberty wears a headband inscribed with her name, surrounded by a ring of thirteen stars. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle bearing a defensive shield on its chest, with another cluster of thirteen stars positioned above. Legible inscriptions on the reverse include the issuing nation, United States of America, and the face value, written as twenty dollars.