Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

Photos used with permission and courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries Description: Charles Barber’s half dollar design was introduced in 1892, a beneficiary of the provision of the Mint Act of 1890 which allowed for the design of a coin to be changed every 25 years. And so it was in 1916 that Barber’s designs for the dime, quarter, and half dollar were also set aside; though unlike the smaller denominations, the half dollar of 1916 did not use Barber’s somewhat stoic Liberty design. Director Robert W. Woolley had invited three renown sculptors outside the Mint to produce designs for all three denominations, possibly intending ... Read Full Story

It was a rough morning for me in my head so I had lunch with friends and went to the Met. I think that before any major decisions in life or before wanting to go postal or make a difficult call, one should simply put down the gun and go to the Met. This is what I did. And I came across a special exhibit about the work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens . A famous (not to me until today) sculptor of the latter 19th Century. He was born in Ireland to a French father and an Irish mother and moved to the United States ... Read Full Story

An earlier year Senate bill calling for .995 pure palladium one-ounce UHR $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coins was joined by a House version introduced Thursday, July 30, by Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R-MT]. Both bills seek to produce "coins in palladium to provide affordable opportunities for investments in precious metals." House Resolution 3405, the Original Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Ultra-High Relief Bullion Coin Act of 2009 , is nearly identical to the same named Senate bill, S. 758 , brought forward by Sen. Max Baucus [D-MT] on April 1.   The legislation states the coins must "bear exact replicas of the original obverse and reverse designs ... Read Full Story

NGC will be using a new label for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle. This new label and EdgeView® holder are automatically used for all submissions of these coins and do not require special request. The 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagles must be submitted to NGC using the Modern Special Tier. The NGC Collectors Society submission fee for this service is $15 per coin and the approximate turnaround time is 12 working days. The 2009 Ultra High Relief replicates an original design by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In 1907, Saint-Gaudens was commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt to create designs for US coinage. Full Article: ... Read Full Story

Today, US Mint Director Edmund Moy announced the Mint's intention to recreate what many consider to be America's most beautiful coin. Augustus Saint Gaudens' original ultra high relief $20 Gold Double Eagle will be recreated on a 24 karat gold collectible coin expected to be available in 2009. Director Moy said the following: We want to spur the highest level of artistic excellence in American coin design. Recreating thousands of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' ultra-high relief Double Eagles will be a defining moment in American coinage. Here is some additional information on the 1097 Saint Gaudens Ultra High Relief Double Eagle from CoinFacts.com . 2009 is ... Read Full Story