1907 Saint-Gaudens

Barber's modified low-relief dies went to press at Philadelphia in late 1907, producing the first Saint-Gaudens double eagles intended for ordinary commerce. The date was switched from Roman numerals to Arabic, the sculptural depth was cut back to permit single-blow striking at normal press speeds, and the coin went into regular production alongside the expiring High Relief run. Approximately 361,667 pieces of this regular-issue 1907 were struck, dwarfing the roughly 12,367 combined High Relief mintage that preceded it. The coin carries the original No Motto reverse layout. IN GOD WE TRUST was absent by design, as Roosevelt considered the motto ill-suited to circulating coinage, and Congress did not compel its addition until mid-1908. The 1907 Low Relief is therefore one of only two calendar years of the series issued with the mottoless eagle reverse at Philadelphia.

Typical 1907 Low Relief examples are well struck with clean surfaces, a natural consequence of being first-year coins pulled from circulation early and preserved. Friction wear concentrates on Liberty's knee, breast, and the central eagle feathers, mirroring the same high-point pattern as the High Relief but over less sculptural depth. Grade distribution favors AU and lower Mint State grades; strict gems at MS65 and above are genuinely scarce, and anything certified MS66 is a condition rarity disproportionate to the mintage figure. Authentication concerns for this issue are different from the High Relief: counterfeiters often sell struck fakes simply as '1907 Saint-Gaudens' to buyers unaware the design exists in multiple reliefs, and a raw coin at auction deserves scrutiny of weight, edge lettering, and die characteristics. PCGS or NGC certification eliminates the ambiguity and confirms the relief type at the same stroke.

Collector demand treats the 1907 Low Relief primarily as a type coin rather than a rarity, with the No Motto reverse as the specific draw for set builders completing a full Saint-Gaudens type run. Prices in circulated and low Mint State grades track closely with gold content plus a consistent numismatic premium, while MS65 and finer examples trade on genuine scarcity and can separate sharply from the pack. Registry collectors bid aggressively for MS66 and MS67 examples, and finest-known pieces have crossed well into six figures at Heritage and Stack's Bowers auctions. A certified PCGS or NGC piece at MS63 or MS64 is the realistic entry point for most collectors and the grade at which original luster, clean fields, and sharp strike are still widely available. For the series' full production arc from the High Relief opening through the 1933 closeout, see the St. Gaudens Gold $20 Double Eagles history article.