1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
Circulation strike struck at the San Francisco Mint · 558,000 made
- Mintage
- 558,000
- Metal
- 90% gold, 10% copper
- Weight
- 33.436 g
- Diameter
- 34 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle worth?
It's scarcer than a typical date, so even circulated examples sell above face and above their metal value. The best uncirculated coins are where the money is.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle rare?
- Somewhat. 558,000 were made, fewer than most dates, so collectors treat it as a semi-key.
- Is the 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle real gold?
- No, it's gold: 0.9675 troy ounces of pure gold.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1920 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle?
- On the obverse, above the date. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- Which San Francisco dates near 1920 are scarcer?
- None. Within five years either side, no San Francisco issue had a smaller mintage than the 1920-S.
- How many 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coins were made?
- 558,000.
What to check on your 1920-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1920 (228,250 made).
- Judge the grade under good light. Look at Liberty's breast and knee and at the eagle's wing feathers. Contact marks in the open fields are common on these heavy coins.
Gold coins are counterfeited more than any other US coins. A genuine 1920-S weighs 33.436 g and measures 34 mm. Buy certified examples from a reputable dealer.
The story of the 1920-S
San Francisco hadn't struck the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle since 1916. When it came back in 1920, it made 558,000. After that, San Francisco didn't make another until 1922.
It was the big producer of the year, well ahead of 1920 (228,250). In the whole series, its mintage sits closest to the 1923 (566,000) and the 1915-S (567,500).
Across San Francisco's 15 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle issues, the hardest to find is the 1908-S (With Motto) with 22,000 made. The 1920-S is on the scarcer side of the middle. Within the 1920s it's 5th smallest of 21, between the 1921 (528,500) and the 1923 (566,000).
Postwar mintages and overseas hoards (1917 to 1928)
Double eagle production stopped from 1917 through 1919. When it resumed in 1920, much of the output went into Treasury vaults or abroad as reserves. The 1920-S and 1921 are rare because most were melted in the 1930s. The 1927-D is one of the great rarities of American gold, with only a handful known from 180,000 struck.
The Philadelphia coins of 1924 to 1928 are among the most common double eagles because many were shipped to European banks and later returned in quantity. Branch mint coins of the same years tell a different story. The 1924-D, 1924-S, 1925-D, 1925-S, 1926-D and 1926-S are scarce despite mostly large mintages because most were melted. Bag marks and rim nicks are the usual flaws on the repatriated Philadelphia coins.
How to recognize it
Liberty strides forward holding a torch and an olive branch, with the Capitol building at her feet and rays of the sun behind her. The reverse shows an eagle in flight above a rising sun. The edge is lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM between stars. The 1907 high relief coins show the date in Roman numerals; later coins use Arabic numerals and lower relief.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle (1907–1933) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 558,000 |
| Face value | $20 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Weight | 33.436 grams |
| Diameter | 34 mm |
| Edge | Lettered E PLURIBUS UNUM |
| Designer | Augustus Saint-Gaudens |
Other 1920 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle | 228,250 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1920-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle | 558,000 | Circulation strike | – |
Mintage: Saint-Gaudens double eagle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.