U.S. Heritage Coins

The Saint Gaudens is one of America’s finest coins designed by one of America’s finest artists: August Saint Gaudens. Because of his reputation President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned St Gaudens to create the design for the 1905 Inaugural medal. Roosevelt was so pleased with the result that he enlisted the artist to create a new look for U.S. coins. Roosevelt had a specific idea in mind: he wanted to use the high-relief style of the ancient Greeks coins that featured high and low points protruding out further than one would expect. The project was of great interest to Roosevelt and much collaboration took place between Saint Gaudens and Roosevelt. Although he was balancing matters of high priority in the nation, Theodore devoted whatever time was necessary to make sure America’s coinage projected the right image. Saint-Gaudens liked the President’s high-relief idea and began working on new designs for both the one-cent coin and the $10 eagle and the $20 double eagle. Unfortunately, the one-cent pattern never made it into circulation but the models he created for gold coins became the new standard for all future U.S. coins that were in mint. The Guadens gold coin that Saint-Gaudens designed won great acclaim worldwide for its artistic appeal. The Saint coin features a full-length view of Miss Liberty walking as though she is ready to exit the coin and enter the world of reality. She holds above her in her right hand an enlightenment torch and an olive branch, a symbol of peace in her left hand. In the lower left, you will find the dome of the U.S. Capitol Building, although it is barely visible due to of Liberty’s flowing gown. On the reverse side is an eagle in flight amidst sunlight. In two arcs above the eagle are the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS. The first trial samples of the Saint-Gaudens designs were minted in 1907 and included the characteristically high relief. Although these patterns were quite beautiful, they needed nine hits on the coining press in order to achieve the effect desired. Out of a mint run of approximately two dozen coins, all but one included the Latin motto E PLURIBUS UNUM and all coins included the date in Roman numerals. These gold Saint Guadens have sold at auctions for as high as $3 million. Because of the additional work and cost required in making these coins, it became necessary to rework the models creating a lower relief. Unfortunately August Saint Guadens died before this rework could be completed, leaving the job to his assistant, Henry Hering. Henry personally delivered the reworked models to the Mint on September 28, 1907 even amidst resistance from Chief Engraver Charles Barber who felt the relief was still too high for practicality purposes. The St-Gaudens gold coin was distributed from 1907-1916 and again from 1920-1933.