$20 Liberty Head MS61

$20 Liberty Head MS61

Due to the overflow of gold that began pouring into Philadelphia from discovery of gold in California 1848, Congress authorized the United States Mint to create a $20 gold coin on March 3, 1849. The $20 Liberty Head is known as the most popular and recognizable coin of its day. The $20 Liberty Head, also referred to as a $20 Coronet, remained in production until 1907 when the United States Mint began releasing the $20 Saint-Gaudens.

Appearance

Designed by James B. Longacre, the obverse of the $20 Liberty Head coin features Miss Liberty donning a crown inscribed with the word LIBERTY. Thirteen stars representing the original thirteen colonies and the date encircle her. The reverse features a bald eagle behind a striped shield. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arc around the top of the coin. A total of three different types of $20 Liberty Head coins were minted during its time in circulation. Depending upon the date and type, other pieces of information are listed on the reverse, as listed below.

Type I coins do not feature the motto IN GOD WE TRUST and the denomination is written as Twenty D Assistant engraver Anthony Pacquet created a second version of the reverse, but the redesigned coins were discarded and melted down. Type II
 the IN GOD WE TRUST motto was added to the reverse in 1866, resulting in the Type II design. Rev. M.R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, PA, spearheaded this change by asking Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase to include the motto on the nations coins in 1861. Such legislation eventually passed in 1865. Another Type II design change involved altering the shape of the shield on the reverse from straight to curved in the ornate rococo style of the day. Type III
 in 1877, the denomination was changed to read TWENTY DOLLARS instead of TWENTY D. This is the only difference between Type II and Type III $20 Liberty Head coins.

* Pictures are an indication only, price of coins are applicable for dates of our choice

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