20 Dollars, Ultra High Relief Pattern, United States, 1907

Description (Brief):

One (1) 20 dollar coin, ultra high relief pattern

Description (Brief)

United States, 1907

Description (Brief)

Obverse Image: Full-length Liberty holding a torch in her right hand and olive branch in left. Capitol Dome in lower left; rays of sun in background; stars around rim.

Description (Brief)

Obverse Text: LIBERTY / MCMVII

Description (Brief)

Reverse Image: Eagle flying through rays of sun.

Description (Brief)

Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / TWENTY DOLLARS

Description (Brief)

Edge: E PLURIBUS UNUM divided by stars.

Less than two dozen of these coins were struck. This kind of relief was never intended for a circulating coin, because it took nearly a dozen passes through the press to achieve. We should instead see these marvelous coins as testimony to the human spirit and to human curiosity: just how much relief could you obtain, and how long would it take to create it?

This ultra high relief twenty has pedigree as well as beauty in its favor. Presdient Theodore Roosevelt gave it to his daughter as a Christmas present in 1907. Augustus Saint-Gaudens had presented it to the president, and it may have been the first piece struck. Roosevelt's daughter donated this coin to the Smithsonian in 1961.

[reference no. Judd 1778]

Date Made: 1907

Designer: Saint-Gaudens, AugustusMint: U.S. Mint, Philadelphia

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United States: Pennsylvania, PhiladelphiaCity: United States: Pennsylvania, PhiladelphiaProvince: United States: Pennsylvania

See more items in: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection, National Treasures exhibit, Coins, Currency and Medals

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Related Web Publication: http://americanhistory.si.edu/coins/glossary.cfm

Related Publication: Glossary of Coins and Currency Terms

Credit Line: Mrs. Richard Derby

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: NU.NU71628Catalog Number: NU71628Accession Number: 236191

Object Name: coin

Physical Description: gold (overall material)Measurements: overall: .4 cm x 3.42 cm; 5/32 in x 1 11/32 in

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-b578-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_835313

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