Numismatic

1925 $20 St Gaudens Gold Double Eagle AU

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The 1925 twenty dollar gold piece represents a high point in American numismatic artistry. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin contains 0.9675 troy ounces of gold, with a total purity of 0.900. While the Philadelphia facility produced 2,831,750 of these pieces in 1925, many coins from this broader series faced a dramatic fate when a federal recall in 1933 led to widespread melting, making surviving specimens of these pre-1933 issues highly compelling to study. On the obverse, Lady Liberty is depicted in a powerful forward stride, illuminated by the radiating rays of a rising sun. The word LIBERTY is positioned above her, and the date 1925 is clearly visible. The reverse side features a bald eagle soaring through the sky, accompanied by the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS. Rather than a traditional reed, the edge of the coin is decorated with the raised lettering E PLURIBUS UNUM, with the words separated by stars. This specimen has been preserved in Almost Uncirculated condition, allowing observers to appreciate the fine details of the engraving. The Saint-Gaudens series itself is rich with minor design evolutions, such as the early omission of the national motto in 1907 to 1908, and the addition of stars on the obverse to reflect 48 states by 1912.