Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle · Gold Coins

1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle

Circulation strike struck at the San Francisco Mint · 3,776,500 made

Mintage
3,776,500
Metal
90% gold, 10% copper
Weight
33.436 g
Diameter
34 mm

Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.

Pure gold0.9675troy oz
Value band: Metal value

Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.

What is a 1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle worth?

Its gold content does most of the work: a genuine 1925-S is worth at least its 0.9675 troy ounces of gold. Collector demand adds a premium for better grades.

What would make yours worth more:

  • Uncirculated condition with full original luster
  • A die variety or minting error

For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.

Quick answers

Is the 1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle rare?
No. With 3.8 million made, it's one of the most common Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles.
Is the 1925-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 1925 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 1925 are scarcer?
The 1930-S at 74,000, the 1920-S at 558,000, the 1926-S at 2,041,500, plus 3 more. So the 1925-S is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
How many 1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle coins were made?
3,776,500.
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What to check on your 1925-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 1925 (2.8 million 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 1925-S weighs 33.436 g and measures 34 mm. Buy certified examples from a reputable dealer.

The story of the 1925-S

Output at San Francisco climbed to 3,776,500 in 1925, from 2.9 million the year before. The next year it made 2 million (1926-S).

1925 came to 2.8 million and 1925-D came to 2.9 million, so neither mint's 1925 coin is much scarcer than the other.

Of the 15 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles San Francisco struck between 1908 and 1930, none was made in bigger numbers. The scarcest San Francisco issue is the 1908-S (With Motto) at 22,000. Within the 1920s it's 19th smallest of 21, between the 1927-S (3.1 million) and the 1924 (4.3 million).

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.

Elsewhere in US coinage in 1925

The date on the Standing Liberty quarter was recessed from 1925 so it would stop wearing off.

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.

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Mintage chart

Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle mintages, 1925-S highlightedLog scale · hover or tap a bar · 1907–1933
10K100K1M

Specifications

SeriesSaint-Gaudens Double Eagle (1907–1933)
Year1925
MintSan Francisco Mint
Mint mark"S"
Strike typeCirculation strike
Mintage3,776,500
Face value$20
Composition90% gold, 10% copper
Weight33.436 grams
Diameter34 mm
EdgeLettered E PLURIBUS UNUM
DesignerAugustus Saint-Gaudens

Other 1925 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle issues

CoinMintageTypeSilver
1925 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle2,831,750Circulation strike–
1925-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle2,938,500Circulation strike–
1925-S Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle3,776,500Circulation strike–
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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.