Its design, commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt and created by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, is widely lauded as one of the most beautiful of all time. The coin features an image of Lady Liberty on the obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse.
However, a few specimens escaped destruction and ended up in private hands. This rarity, combined with legal battles over ownership, has made the 1933 Double Eagle particularly rare and valuable.
The 1933 Double Eagle made headlines in June 2021 when it was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a staggering $18.9 million, making it the most valuable coin in the world at that time.
The coin went through a series of legal battles and mysterious journeys before being auctioned in 2002 for over $7 million, then setting a record for the most valuable coin sold at the time.
The 1933 Double Eagle continues to be a topic of interest and fascination in the numismatic world due to its unique history, rarity, and the intrigue surrounding its origin and survival.