subject: The Historical Significance of the Saint Gaudens Double Eagles [print this page] The Historical Significance of the Saint Gaudens Double Eagles
No other coins produced through the U.S. Mint produce the same quantity of notoriety than the Saint Gaudens Double Eagles. Although these beautiful coins are much admired as artistic endeavors, these were actually a tool conceived by former American President Theodore Roosevelt to alter the international status for this country.
At the turn of the twentieth century, President Roosevelt was bent on making America recognized not for a previous colony but as a world power in itself. That was when America started to become obsessed with the ideals of beauty and embellishment, all the way from its buildings to their systems of thinking. It was vital to this strong-minded President that America would no more be viewed as a nation of country bumpkins but as a nation of educated, artistic people. A complete make-over on the look of the coins was a way that he knew would change the manner the Europeans thought about the American culture. He wasn't satisfied with the coinage at that time, which was considered dull and inferior when compared to the older currencies. Roosevelt risked his political career to get these coins redesigned, to the point of finding a means to undertake it without any approval of Congress.
At that time, the single one that Roosevelt felt was up for the job was Augustus Saint Gaudens, a renowned sculptor who unhappily was already in the midst of an argument against the U.S. Mint's Engraver, Charles Barber. Public arguments had no sway with the President, however, so by 1905, the double eagles to be used for the newest gold coins were being designed by Saint Gaudens. Unlike other coins, this becomes the only designed by an artist unemployed by the U.S. Mint. The proofs submitted by Saint Gaudens were continuously rejected by Mr. Barbers, with the result being the coins were not minted until after Saint Gaudens died in 1907. It must be noted though, that Barbers' rejections weren't from spite. The initial coins were designed in such high relief they took several blows to mint, nine with the 1st coin and three on second design. It was unfortunate at that time that modern coins were designed to get minted in one blow - a necessity considering the energy and time needed to produce large quantities of coin. The result of these coins circulating to this day is the result of Barbers' redesign of Saint Gaudens' final masterpiece.
