20 Dollars, United States, 1854-S
20 Dollars, United States, 1854-S
- Description
- The sheer size of the California gold strike altered the nature of American numismatics. It was not only that mintage figures dramatically increased; the actual range of denominations increased as well.
- Prior to 1849, there had been three gold coins: the quarter eagle, half eagle, and eagle (or $2.50, $5.00, and $10.00 coins). By 1854, three more had been added, a dollar, a three-dollar piece, and a double eagle, or twenty-dollar coin.
- Artist James Barton Longacre designed all three of the new coins. The double eagle was the most popular. For its obverse, Longacre employed a simple head of Liberty, wearing a coronet. Stars surrounded the head of the goddess, and the date appeared below. The reverse depicted a somewhat ornate representation of an eagle, a "glory" of stars and rays above, the national motto to either side.
- In 1854, the United States created a new branch mint in San Francisco to deal with the fruits of the gold rush. It was intended to replace a whole galaxy of private California mints that had created a variety of local coins.
- This double eagle was the first coin the new federal mint struck. Below the eagle, each coin from the new branch Mint bore a distinctive small "S." This distinguished the coin from ones struck in Philadelphia, which had no such mark, and ones struck at New Orleans, which had an "O."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1854
- mint
- U.S. Mint, San Francisco
- maker
- Longacre, James Barton
- place made
- United States: California, San Francisco
- Physical Description
- gold (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: .3 cm x 3.53 cm; 1/8 in x 1 3/8 in
- ID Number
- 1985.0441.0488
- accession number
- 1985.0441
- catalog number
- 1985.0441.0488
- Credit Line
- Transfer from the United States Mint
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection
- Legendary Coins
- Coins
- Numismatics
- United States Double Eagle
- Coins, Currency and Medals
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
