Exceptional Gem quality for this classic rarity in the 20th century gold series. Delightful golden-honey surfaces are satiny in finish with a virtually pristine appearance. The strike is full with crisp detail throughout the design. This is easily one of the most beautiful examples of this historic Indian eagle design type that we have ever had the privilege of bringing to auction.

The Saint-Gaudens gold eagle is widely considered one of the high water marks of American numismatic design. President Theodore Roosevelt was a fierce critic of the then-current coin designs and in order to improve them he conspired with Cornish, New Hampshire artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the entire series of coins. Saint-Gaudens produced several designs including an obverse he originally intended for the cent. When Roosevelt saw this design, he recommended - ordered, really - that the left facing bust of Liberty should wear a war bonnet instead of a laurel wreath. Saint-Gaudens made the change in February 1907, but thought it should be used for the double eagle rather than the cent. Again Roosevelt objected as he preferred a representation of Liberty walking forward for the largest denomination. Instead the bust of Liberty wearing a feathered headdress would go onto the eagle. The reverse design for the eagle was a modified version of the "defiant eagle" Saint-Gaudens had used on Roosevelt's inaugural medal of 1905.

Plaster models were prepared in Saint-Gaudens' studios in Cornish and were sent to Philadelphia on June 1 to be converted into working dies. They encountered immediate opposition from Chief Engraver Charles Barber (no fan of non-Mint personnel designing coins), who felt there were design deficiencies, especially the high relief nature of the design and the lack of a proper coin rim. He was focused more on mass production than coin aesthetics and felt "the models now sent are not coin relief," as he told Mint Superintendent John Landis on June 7. By now, Saint-Gaudens was seriously ill with cancer and did not travel. Instead he worked with the Mint through his assistant, Henry Hering. Hering reworked the models to reduce the relief somewhat and change the date from Roman numerals. The new models were provided to the Mint on June 24 and dies were prepared. By July 19, the dies were ready to strike experimental versions of the new design.

The first coins struck were in high relief despite Barber's requirements to the contrary, with the portrait of Liberty set within a concave field similar to how a medal might look. The features were also more sculptural with a distinctive soft texture. In addition, because of the high relief, the coins required several strikes to bring up the design. As a result, a "fin" or "slight burr" on the edge caused the coin to not rest flat, especially since the eagle tended to rise up above the border. Now gravely ill, Saint-Gaudens continued to work through the design difficulties along with his staff. Roosevelt realized that the dream of a very high relief eagle was not feasible, and on July 29 he relented and directed the Mint to work on a lower relief version for mass production. Furthermore, in the same letter advised that:

As for the high relief coins, have several hundred struck and allow the collectors of the country to obtain specimens as you suggested, none to be issued until the new issue is out. They should be preserved as the work of a great American artist.

Saint-Gaudens never saw his creation as a coin; he died of cancer on August 3 before any could be struck. Barber prepared a version while the Saint-Gaudens studio prepared their own revisions, coordinating with the artist's widow, Augusta. Barber's Rounded Rim version began production on September 13 with the intention of going into circulation. Ultimately neither Saint-Gaudens' original Wire Rim concept nor Barber's Rounded Rim version ended up as a circulating coin. The revision from the Saint-Gaudens studio in lower relief and with no triangular periods was adopted and was struck until 1933. In the meantime, to comply with Roosevelt's July 29 order for several hundred Wire Rim coins, an initial production run of 500 coins took place in late August on the high-pressure medal press, followed by a delivery of 42 coins struck between September and December of that year. The Treasury Department in Washington, D.C. took delivery of the Wire Rim coins and distributed them to government officials, as well as to some of the biggest coin dealers of the day. Seventy examples remained unsold and were sent back to the Mint in 1915 to be melted down, leaving a final net production of 472 pieces.

The present specimen is among the finer certified for this iconic issue, the one that most closely represents Saint-Gaudens' and Roosevelt's vision for the $10 gold coin. It is a numismatic treasure set for inclusion in another advanced cabinet.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

All winning lots will be shipped domestically via FEDEX, United States Postal Service, or DHL. Please note: A delivery confirmation shipment will be required for all orders. Delivery methods depend on the value of the shipment (for insurance purposes). All orders sent via Priority or Express require a signature confirmation. Please refer to the chart below to see how your winning lots will be shipped. Once your order has shipped, we will send you an email containing the order tracking information.

Total Value of Shipment Shipping Method
$1-$299 First Class
$300-$24,999 Priority or 2-Day
$25,000-$199,999 Express or Overnight
$200,000+ Contact us for Special Arrangements
Chart applies to U.S. addresses only -- items shipped to international addresses from the United States will be delivered via Fed Ex and items shipped from our Hong Office will be delivered via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover.

If you would like your order shipped domestically via FedEx, please contact our Client Services department at (800) 458-4646. Additional charges may apply.

• How much do you charge for shipping and handling?

Within the United States: All orders are shipped via USPS. All orders will have the following postage and insurance charges in addition to a $.50 handling charge per lot added to the purchase price:

Invoice Amount Postage & Insurance
Up to $299 $12.00
$300- $499 $17.00
$500- $999 $20.00
$1000- $2499 $24.00
$2500- $4999 $27.00
$5000- $9999 $30.00
$10000- $14999 $40.00
$15000- $19999 $45.00
$20000- $24999 $50.00
$25000- $49999 $75.00
$50000- $74999 $100.00
$75000- $99999 $125.00
$100000- $249999 $250.00
$250000+ $400.00


All international orders (including Canada and Mexico) shipped from the United States will be shipped via Fedex or UPS depending on the destination country. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. For shipments from our Hong Kong office via EMS, please refer to the Hong Kong Auction section.

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $2,500 $50.00
$2,501-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$100,000 $75.00
$100,001-$200,000 $125.00
$200,001+ $500 or Contact us for Special Arrangements


All orders shipped from the Hong Kong, China Office are shipped via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. The following countries have EMS coverage: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Our international shipping rates will apply to countries not covered by EMS. If you have special shipping requests from our Hong Kong, China Office, please contact [email protected].

Invoice Amount Postage
Up to $300 $35.00
$301-$1,000 $40.00
$1,001-$2,000 $45.00
$2,001-$3,000 $50.00
$3,001-$5,000 $55.00
$5,001-$10,000 $60.00
$10,001-$25,000 $70.00
$25,001-$50,000 $80.00
$50,001-$75,000 $90.00
$75,001-$100,000 $100.00
$100,000-$200,000 $125.00
$200,000+ $500.00 or Contact us for Special Arrangements

by Stack's Bowers Galleries
June 16, 2026 12:00 PM PDT
1550 Scenic Ave
Suite 150
Costa Mesa, CA, US 92626

Stack's Bowers Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $20
$100 $199 $20
$200 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 $999,999 $50,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000