CGG

Most of the 180,000 Saint Gaudens minted at the Denver Mint were never released and fell victim to mass meltings after 1934. It is believed that the existing pieces were directly ordered from the U.S. Treasury just prior to their release, at face value plus postage, from 1927 through early 1933.

In June of 2002, Sotheby's and Stack's sold the lone legal example dated 1933 in auction. This coin was never officially released before President Franklin Roosevelt suspended the circulation of gold. That coin realized $7.59 million and became the highest valued coin ever to trade at public auction.

The obverse depicts Liberty holding a staff and olive branch as she walks from the sun, its rays rising up behind her. On some 1907 coins, the date in Roman numerals appears to the right of Liberty. The word 'LIBERTY' is centered above her, arcing just below stars representing the number of states in the union (46 from 1907-11 and 48 from 1912-33).

The reverse features a bald eagle flying above the sun with the words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' and 'TWENTY DOLLARS' arcing around the top of the coin. In 1907 and the first half of 1908, the President requested that 'IN GOD WE TRUST' be omitted from the coin. Congress voted to add it back in 1908.