On December 27, 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt, a personal friend of Saint-Gaudens, wrote to his Secretary of the Treasury, Leslie Mortier Shaw: "I think the state of our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness. Would it be possible, without asking permission of Congress, to employ a man like Saint-Gaudens to give us a coinage which would have some beauty?" The result was the first American coin designed by someone other than a national mint employee, done in a strikingly high relief that would ensure its engraving lasted throughout the generations. This gold coin represents a time of prosperity and promise in the United States of America, and is a tangible piece of the American dream.
Graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation of America, MS 65.
| Value | 20 United States dollars |
|---|---|
| Mass | 33.431 g |
| Diameter | 34.1 mm (1.342 in) |
| Edge | lettered "E PLURIBUS UNUM" |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Gold | .96750 troy oz |
| Years of minting | 1907–1908 |
| Mint marks |
No mint mark, likely minted in Philadelphia |
| Design | Liberty holding a torch and olive branch, backed by the rays of the sun, the U.S. Capitol visible; 46 stars circle design, and on the reverse an eagle in flight, backed by rays from the sun |
| Designer | Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
| Design date | 1907 |
| Design discontinued | 1908 |
