1924-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Denver Mint struck 3,049,500 1924-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles. Most of the issue was held in reserve and melted down in the late 1930s. Those that survived largely were exported to foreign banks and repatriated only after the Federal Government eased restrictions on private gold ownership. As these survivors were held by institutions and not collectors, many show evidence of handling and bag marks.

Numismatist David W. Akers, in his once-standard reference United States Gold Coins: An Analysis of Auction Records, Volume VI: Double Eagles, 1849-1933 (1982), wrote:

“The 1924-D is a scarce date, similar overall to the 1908-S, 1909-D and 1926-S. However, since most known 1924-D twenties are uncirculated, the date is not nearly as rare in Unc. as either the 1908-S or 1909-D.”

More than 40 years later, Akers’ observations hold up. The 1924-D ranks 34th overall in terms of certified survivors, while the 1908-S (35th overall) and 1909-D (33rd overall) remain scarcer in Mint State. Where the 1924-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle differs from those dates is in the number of known high Mint State examples. The 1924-D is scarcer in Gem by a factor of two.

The combined certified population from CAC, NGC, and PCGS puts the number of uncirculated grading events at just over 1,050, with only 20 at MS65 and three at MS66.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Top Population: PCGS MS66 (3, 10/2024), NGC MS66 (1, 10/2024), and CAC MS65 (2:0 stickered:graded, 10/2024).

• PCGS MS66 #45420971: As PCGS MS65 #15765762 CAC. “The Jay Brahin Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2010 – $138,000. Brahin on insert; As PCGS MS66 #45420971. Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3414 – $312,000. Simpson novelty insert.
• PCGS MS66 #16342339: As PCGS MS66 #4987566. “The Phillip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage,” Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 6667 – $184,000; “The Jacob Collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 3383 – $184,000; “The Dr. and Mrs. Steven L. Duckor Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2012, Lot 4636 – $138,000. Carter/Duckor on insert. Horizontal hit on far left hem of Liberty’s dress. Diagonal scratch across torso. Hit on left thigh. Scratch at the top of ray 8. On the reverse, carbon spot on Eagle’s wing near center. Three stacked ticks on sun. Three ticks on the third ray from the right. 
• PCGS MS65 #43321957: Heritage Auctions, January 11, 2024, Lot 4414 – $90,000.
• PCGS MS65 #84393963: As PCGS MS65 #10156891. Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2010, Lot 2355 – $69,000. As PCGS MS65 #84393963. “The Noel Thomas Patton Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 3, 2023, Lot 3344 – $102,000. Fox-Duckor on insert. Thin horizontal cut across torso. Small diagonal cut between T and Y. Jagged diagonal scratch on and below Liberty’s left elbow crease. On the reverse, there is a diagonal tick on sun below GOD.
• PCGS MS65 #25070867: Stack’s Bowers, August 2014, Lot 13277 – Passed; Heritage Auctions, September 7, 2012, Lot 5111 – $52,875; Heritage Auctions, January 12, 2023, Lot 3943 – $144,000. Gash on Liberty’s right knee. Two ticks under L of LIBERTY. Small gouge on Liberty’s torso. On the reverse, shallow hits on sun.
• PCGS MS65 #14787985: Stack’s, May 14, 2009, Lot 298 – $57,500; Heritage Auctions, May 5, 2022, Lot 4093 – $144,000. Tick across rays 5 and 6. Two horizontal scratches above rays 7 and 8, and 9 and 10.
• NGC MS65 #697833-001: “The Phillip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage, Part Two,” Heritage Auctions, December 13, 2005, Lot 2037 – $46,000; “The Collection of a Distinguished WW2 Veteran,” Heritage Auctions, August 4, 2020, Lot 4092 – $43,200. Small copper spot to the lower right of star 16. Small diagonal tick on Liberty’s left knee. On the reverse, two rim hit marks below EN of TWENTY. Carbon spot touching rim at 9 o’clock.
• PCGS MS65 #25070867: Stack’s Bowers, August 2014, Lot 13277 – Passed.
• PCGS MS65 #25530288: As PCGS MS65 #50203813. Heritage Auctions, June 3, 2005, Lot 8247 – $63,250. As PCGS MS65 #25530288. “The Kutasi Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 2007, Lot 3294 – $63,250; Heritage Auctions, September 27, 2013, Lot 6919 – $70,500. Bella on insert.
• PCGS MS65 CAC: Stack’s Bowers, August 7 2012, Lot 11807 – $85,000 Reserve Not Met.
• NGC MS65: Stack’s, September 30, 2010, Lot 3865 – Passed.
• NGC MS65 #194524-037: “The Ralph P. Muller Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2010, Lot 2320 – $43,125. FERRARI COLLECTION on insert.
• PCGS MS65 #05980390: “The Stephen Stokely Collection, Part Five,” Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2008, Lot 2114 – $74,750. Deep gouge on Liberty’s right leg. Multiple ticks across rays. On the reverse, circular die line across the lower to right periphery. Diagonal cut across eagle’s wind to the lower right of center.
• PCGS MS65 #21774143: “The Jacob Collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 3393 – $138,000. Toned. Tick on ray 5.
• PCGS MS65 #05930342: Heritage Auctions, August 9, 2007, Lot 2078 – $71,300.
• NGC MS65 #448680-011: “The Bell Glade Collection, Part Two,” Heritage Auctions, August 9, 2007, Lot 2077 – $43,125.
• NGC MS65 #698712-015: “The Phillip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage, Part Three,” Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2006, Lot 3612 – $40,250.
• PCGS MS65 #06569311: “The Phillip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage,” Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 6668 – $74,750; Heritage Auctions, November 30, 2006, Lot 2870 – $77,625. Diagonal Cut below Liberty’s hair at the left obverse field. Vertical cut at the base of T of LIBERTY. Diagonal cut on Liberty’s left calf.

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Design

Obverse:

The obverse features a full-length image of Liberty, facing forward with an olive branch in her extended left hand and a raised torch in her extended right. Draped in a long, flowing classical gown (the ancient chiton), her hair is swept to the left. Some describe her as striding forward, but she appears instead to be in a pose, the foot of her left leg resting on a large rock (in front of which are oak leaves). To Liberty’s right, at the bottom of the coin, the sun is visible behind a depiction of the U.S. Capitol building. Rays from the sun extend upward from behind the Capitol and Liberty to about the level of Liberty’s waist. At the top of the coin is the word LIBERTY, the torch separating the “I” and “B”. Forty-eight tiny six-pointed stars are arrayed just inside the flat rim, forming a circle broken only at the bottom.

The date in Arabic numerals is near the bottom on the right; a monogram of the designer’s initials ASG is below the date.

Reverse:

The crest of the sun appears again on the reverse, at the bottom, with rays extending upward nearly to the top of the coin behind a majestic left-facing eagle, wings uplifted in flight. In an arc above the sun is IN GOD WE TRUST, the words separated by centered triangular dots. At the top is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in a concentric arc next to the flat rim, with TWENTY DOLLARS just below in another arc. The words of both phrases are separated by centered triangular dots, and the text is also in front of the sun’s rays.

Edge:

The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, in raised letters that alternate with 13 raised stars, is on the edge of the coin.

Designer

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) was a European-educated American sculptor, notable for numerous public monuments and other works in the Beaux Arts style. Working with President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, he is responsible for some of the most beautiful numismatic designs in American history, such as the $10 gold Indian Head Eagle and the gold $20 double eagle.

Coin Specifications

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