Numismatic

1897-S $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagle MS-63 NGC

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Struck in 1897 at the San Francisco Mint, this twenty-dollar gold piece represents a classic era of United States coinage. It contains 0.9675 troy ounces of pure gold, blended into a durable alloy with a purity of 90 percent. This specific specimen has been certified in Mint State 63 condition, preserving the intricate details of its nineteenth-century design. The front of the coin displays a left-facing profile of Lady Liberty, her hair secured and crowned with a coronet that clearly bears the inscription LIBERTY. Thirteen stars encircle her portrait, with the year 1897 positioned directly below. On the reverse, a detailed heraldic eagle holds a shield, flanked by decorative scrolls. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA curve along the upper rim, while the denomination TWENTY DOLLARS is written out along the bottom. Above the eagle, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is nestled within a ring of stars, completing a design created by James Barton Longacre that graced American currency from 1850 to 1907.