In 1933, the US Mint struck 445,500 $20 Double Eagles. But before the coins could be released, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order forbidding the private ownership of gold and recalling all gold coins then in circulation. As a result, all 445,500 1933 $20 Double Eagles were supposedly melted, with the exception of a single example placed in the Smithsonian Institution. Unknown to authorities, however, a few additional coins mysteriously escaped the melting pots and ended up in private hands. The most famous coin surfaced in Egypt in 1944 as part of the private collection of King Farouk. The Secret Service declared that any 1933 Double Eagles were illegal for private ownership.
America’s $7.59 Million Gold Treasure
In 1995, the King Farouk coin came on the open market for the first time and was quickly seized by the Secret Service. A six-year legal battle began until finally, in 2001, it was determined that the coin had been obtained legally through diplomatic channels and was approved for private ownership. After nearly seven decades of controversy and mystery, America’s rarest coin was publically unveiled in 2002. The 1933 Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle was sold at auction that year for $7.59 Million – making worldwide headlines as the world’s most expensive coin!
This precise reproduction of this legendary US Masterpiece is minted in two full ounces of metal and then richly-layered in pure 24 karat Gold. It is 47mm in diameter and comes in a protective acrylic capsule along with a signed certificate of authenticity.
Since 1981, Collectible America has procured rare coins, secured bullion, and struck medallions for the American numismatic public as an independent private mint, not affiliated with the United States Government. This independence provides the cornerstone for our commitment to excellence in both product and service, and, most important, it guarantees to our customers essential rights and complete satisfaction.
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