The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is another iconic and highly valuable coin in numismatic history. Designed by acclaimed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, this coin features Lady Liberty holding a torch and an olive branch, walking confidently forward with the rays of the sun behind her.
While over 445,000 Double Eagles were minted in 1933, none were officially released for circulation. Due to the Gold Recall Order issued by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt during the Great Depression, most of the coins were ordered to be melted down. However, a few managed to escape destruction, mostly through unauthorized means.
In 2002, a single 1933 Double Eagle was sold at auction by Sotheby's and Stack's for over $7.5 million, setting a new world record for the highest price ever paid for a coin.
This coin was the subject of a famous legal battle between the U.S. government and the heirs of a Philadelphia jeweler who had acquired it under murky circumstances.
The 1933 Double Eagle is one of the most storied and coveted coins among collectors due to its rarity, historical significance, and the intrigue surrounding its ownership history.