$20 Liberty Gold Coins

April 20, 2010 · Posted in Coin Resources

The 1848 California gold rush in many was responsible for the creation of a number of classic gold American coins. The discovery of a considerable sum of gold deposits in 1848 brought the creation of a new coin known as the $20 Liberty Gold Coin. The coins were made out of 90% gold with 10% copper alloy rounding them out. In 1850, the $20 coin was routinely minted. This repeated through 1933 when the worth of gold rose significantly. There was already a $10 version in existence, originally produced in 1795. That coin was referred to as the "eagle." As a result, when the $20 coin arrived onto the scene, individuals referred to it as the "gold double eagle" since its value was double the value of the $10 version.

In March of 1849, legal guidelines had been handed authorizing the double eagle coin. Initially, the bill's plan was simply to mint the dollar coin from 100% gold. Nonetheless, as soon as individuals realized just how a lot gold was discovered in the Gold Rush, the twenty dollar coin was added onto the bill.

On the obverse of the coin is a bust of Miss Liberty. It is a side view. She's sporting a crown (referred to as a coronet) and her curls are showing. On the back side is an outline of the Great Seal of the United States. The denomination is listed on the coin by the phrase "TWENTY DOLLARS." This coin measures 34mm in diameter and weighs 33.436 grams.

There are 3 types of the Coronet Double Eagles. The preliminary coin set is named Class I. The phrase "In God We Trust" was an addition made to the Class II series. The words float above the eagle on the backside of the coin. The Class III series saw the modification of the word "DOLLAR" being added the reverse view of the coin a few years later.

Throughout the later part of the 1800's more than one-hundred million of these coins saw production, while finally in 1907 they came to be replaced by what would come to be one of the most popular gold coins ever to be produced by the United States Mint - the St. Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. Collectors often find this coin quite a compelling addition to a collection of gold United States coin, and just like nearly all other rare coins, the collectible worth for the coin depends on the condition and date of minting as certain dates have far more specimens available than other coins.