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double eagle
A double eagle is a gold coin of the United States with a denomination of $20. (Its gold content of 0.9675 troy oz (30.0926 grams) was worth $20 at the 1849 official price of $20.67/oz.) The coins are 34 mm × 2 mm and are made from a 90% gold (0.900 fine = 21.6 kt) and 10% copper alloy and have a total weight of 1.0750 troy ounces (33.4362 grams).
The eagle, half eagle, and quarter eagle were defined by name in the Act of Congress originally authorizing them. Likewise, the double eagle was created by the Coinage Act of 1849. Since the $20 gold piece had twice the value of the eagle, these coins were designated "double eagles". Before, the most valuable American coin was the $10 gold eagle, first produced in 1795, two years after the United States Mint opened.The production of the first double eagle coincided with the 1849 California Gold Rush. In that year, the mint produced two pieces in proof. The first now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The second was presented to Treasury Secretary William M. Meredith and was later sold as part of his estate—the present location of this coin remains unknown.In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt sought to beautify American coinage, and proposed Augustus Saint-Gaudens as an artist capable of the task. Although the sculptor had poor experiences with the Mint and its chief engraver, Charles E. Barber, Saint-Gaudens accepted Roosevelt's call. The work was subject to considerable delays, due to Saint-Gaudens's declining health and difficulties because of the high relief of his design. Saint-Gaudens died in 1907, after designing the eagle and double eagle, but before the designs were finalized for production. The new coin became known as the Saint-Gaudens double eagle.
Regular production continued until 1933, when the official price of gold was changed to $35/oz by the Gold Reserve Act. The 1933 double eagle is among the most valuable of U.S. coins, with the sole example currently known to be in private hands–the King Farouk specimen, which was purchased by King Farouk of Egypt in 1944–selling in 2002 for $7,590,020 and resold to an unknown buyer in 2021 for $18.8 million. Twelve other specimens exist, two of which are held in the National Numismatic Collection and the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.
In July 2023, over 700 gold coins dated from 1840 to 1863, including Double Eagles, were unearthed at a corn field in Kentucky, dubbed the Great Kentucky Hoard. Finder and location remain anonymous.
View More On Wikipedia.org
The eagle, half eagle, and quarter eagle were defined by name in the Act of Congress originally authorizing them. Likewise, the double eagle was created by the Coinage Act of 1849. Since the $20 gold piece had twice the value of the eagle, these coins were designated "double eagles". Before, the most valuable American coin was the $10 gold eagle, first produced in 1795, two years after the United States Mint opened.The production of the first double eagle coincided with the 1849 California Gold Rush. In that year, the mint produced two pieces in proof. The first now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The second was presented to Treasury Secretary William M. Meredith and was later sold as part of his estate—the present location of this coin remains unknown.In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt sought to beautify American coinage, and proposed Augustus Saint-Gaudens as an artist capable of the task. Although the sculptor had poor experiences with the Mint and its chief engraver, Charles E. Barber, Saint-Gaudens accepted Roosevelt's call. The work was subject to considerable delays, due to Saint-Gaudens's declining health and difficulties because of the high relief of his design. Saint-Gaudens died in 1907, after designing the eagle and double eagle, but before the designs were finalized for production. The new coin became known as the Saint-Gaudens double eagle.
Regular production continued until 1933, when the official price of gold was changed to $35/oz by the Gold Reserve Act. The 1933 double eagle is among the most valuable of U.S. coins, with the sole example currently known to be in private hands–the King Farouk specimen, which was purchased by King Farouk of Egypt in 1944–selling in 2002 for $7,590,020 and resold to an unknown buyer in 2021 for $18.8 million. Twelve other specimens exist, two of which are held in the National Numismatic Collection and the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.
In July 2023, over 700 gold coins dated from 1840 to 1863, including Double Eagles, were unearthed at a corn field in Kentucky, dubbed the Great Kentucky Hoard. Finder and location remain anonymous.
View More On Wikipedia.org
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The Guns of the L.A. Riots
Back during the summer months I read this article and stumbled across it again. It is photographs of Korean—Americans defending their business establishments during the 1992 Los Angeles riots which, naturally, was one of the most destructive civil disturbances in US history. Anyway, I thought...- Discussion Thread
- Preparedness & Survival
- CountryGent
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