What is the Double Eagle Gold Coin?

The double eagle is a United States gold coin with an official worth of $20. The double eagles were in commission from 1850 until 1933. Since the double eagle had twice the value of the American Gold Eagle, it was named the "double eagle."

The double eagle went out of commission in 1933 when President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6102, which required Americans to hand in their gold coins to the government. Each coin contains 90% gold and 10% alloy and has a total weight of 1.0750 troy ounces.

Today, double gold eagles are the most popular type of gold coin. The biggest reasons for its popularity are Roosevelt's 1933 call-in and the potential for premium increases.

There are two types of double eagle gold coins: the $20 Liberty Head and the $20 St. Gaudens gold coins. The Liberty Head was first struck in 1849 and used for commerce from 1850 to 1907. In 1866, the motto "In God We Trust" was added to the Liberty Head, creating a second subtype.

The St. Gaudens is named for its premier designer, Augustus St. Gaudens. It was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1907 to 1933. It is more popular than the Liberty Head due to its more artistic design. The St. Gaudens is considered to be one of the most beautiful of all U.S. coins.