 MCMVII (1907) Roman Numeral, High Relief, Wire Rim. Gem Brilliant Uncirculated. It would be difficult to overstate the extraordinary quality of this example of the coin most collectors agree is America's most beautiful. A wealth of fine detail is framed and protected by outer rims of razor sharpness. The fields are flawless, forming a fitting backdrop to devices of medallic perfection. The reverse shows Augustus Saint Gaudens' flying eagle nearly lifting off the rich and satiny field with its sharply defined sun and rays. Two diffused dashes of faint red are seen toward the right margin. This immaculate specimen shows the High Relief design at its best and finding its equal or a finer example might well prove impossible.
This coin came into existence as part of an historic coinage redesign project conceived by the energetic President Theodore Roosevelt, who gleefully called it ''my favorite crime.'' Saint Gaudens was dying of cancer, and his efforts faced sullen opposition and finally active sabotage from U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber. The new design was forced through by the sculptor's friend Henry Hering, but the first of the new Double Eagles were struck just after Saint Gaudens' death. No other American coin can rival this for sheer beauty and intricate history and few surviving High Relief pieces can match this coin's breath-taking quality.
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