1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Edge PCGS MS63

One of the most iconic and highly sought-after U.S. gold coins: the
1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Edge Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle.
Let’s break down what makes this coin so special and what the PCGS MS63 grade signifies.

The 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle: A Masterpiece

The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, designed by the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, is widely considered the most beautiful coin ever issued by the United States.¹ President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned Saint-Gaudens to redesign American coinage, aiming to elevate its artistic merit to that of ancient Greek and Roman coins.² The result was a stunning, high-relief design.

Key characteristics of the 1907 $20 Saint-Gaudens design:

• Obverse: Features a full-length figure of Liberty, holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, striding forward against a backdrop of sun rays.³ The Capitol building is visible in the distance.⁴ “LIBERTY” is inscribed above, and the date “MCMVII” (1907 in Roman numerals) is below. There are 46 stars around the rim, representing the states in the Union at the time.⁵
• Reverse: Shows a majestic eagle in full flight, soaring above the sun’s rays.⁶ “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “TWENTY DOLLARS” are inscribed above.
• Edge: The edge contains the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” along with stars.⁷

“High Relief” and “Wire Edge” Explained

The initial production of the 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle presented significant challenges due to its extremely intricate and “High Relief” design.

• High Relief: This refers to how much the design elements stand out from the coin’s surface.⁸ Saint-Gaudens’ original vision was for a highly sculptural coin, which required multiple strikes (up to nine, typically three to five) at very high pressure on a medal press to fully bring up the design. While aesthetically magnificent, this process was impractical for mass production on the high-speed coining presses of the time.⁹
• Wire Edge: Because of the immense pressure used during these multiple strikes, metal was often forced between the die and the collar, resulting in a thin, sharp, raised rim around the coin’s circumference. This delicate, almost hair-thin metal protrusion is known as a “wire edge” (or “wire rim”). It’s a distinctive feature of the early High Relief strikes and is highly desirable to collectors.

Due to the production difficulties, the Mint soon modified the design to a “Flat Rim” High Relief, and then eventually to a much lower relief, which became the standard for subsequent Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles from 1907 (later in the year) through 1933. The High Relief, Wire Edge variety is therefore a very limited mintage from the very beginning of the series, making it a key rarity.

PCGS MS63 Grade

• PCGS: Stands for Professional Coin Grading Service, one of the top two third-party coin grading services in the world.¹⁰ PCGS authenticates coins and provides a consistent, objective grade, encapsulating them in a tamper-evident holder.¹¹
• MS63: This is the numerical grade on the Sheldon scale (1-70). “MS” stands for “Mint State,” meaning the coin shows no signs of circulation wear.¹²
  • An MS63 coin is considered “Choice Uncirculated.” It will have full original mint luster, but it may exhibit a number of scattered contact marks or bag marks that are noticeable without magnification. There might also be some minor hairlines or scuff marks, and the strike might be average for the type.
  • For a 1907 High Relief, Wire Edge, an MS63 is a very respectable grade. While higher grades exist, the nature of their production (multiple heavy strikes) means that even uncirculated examples often have some degree of contact marks.

Value and Collectibility

The 1907 High Relief, Wire Edge Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is a cornerstone of any significant U.S. gold coin collection. Its artistic beauty, historical significance (President Roosevelt’s personal involvement, the minting challenges), and low mintage for this specific variety make it exceptionally desirable.

Value: Based on recent market trends (mid-2025), a 1907 $20 High Relief, Wire Edge PCGS MS63 can command a substantial premium.¹³ Values can fluctuate based on the specific eye appeal of the coin (how attractive it looks despite the grade), any CAC stickers (indicating exceptional quality for the grade), and current market demand.

You could expect a 1907 High Relief, Wire Edge PCGS MS63 to be valued in the range of $23,000 to $30,000 or even higher. Examples with particularly strong strike or exceptional aesthetics for the grade can reach the higher end of this spectrum or even surpass it.

This is a truly impressive and valuable coin!