PCGS MS66
PCGS MS65+
- PCGS #:
- 9178
- Designer:
- Augustus Saint Gaudens
- Edge:
- Lettered
- Diameter:
- 34.00 millimeters
- Weight:
- 33.40 grams
- Mintage:
- 3,049,500
- Mint:
- Denver
- Metal:
- 90% Gold, 10% Copper
- Auction Record:
- $312,000 • MS66 • 08-28-2022 • Heritage Auctions
Major Varieties
- 1924-D $20
Rarity and Survival Estimates Learn More
| Survival Estimate | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 1,216 |
| 60 or Better | 933 |
| 65 or Better | 20 |
| Numismatic Rarity | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | R-4.9 |
| 60 or Better | R-5.1 |
| 65 or Better | R-9.1 |
| Relative Rarity By Type All Specs in this Type | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 15 / 49 |
| 60 or Better | 16 / 49 |
| 65 or Better | 10 / 49 TIE |
| Relative Rarity By Series All Specs in this Series | |
|---|---|
| All Grades | 15 / 54 |
| 60 or Better | 16 / 54 |
| 65 or Better | 10 / 54 TIE |
Condition Census What Is This?
#1 PCGS MS66
As PCGS MS65 #15765762. Heritage Auctions, January 2010, Lot 2319 - $138,000. As PCGS MS66 #45420971. "The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IX" Heritage Auctions, August 22, 2022, Lot 3414 - $312,000. As PCGS MS66 #47216353. "The Elite Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). Scattered copper-red toning spots on the overse over the date and on the reverse at the interpunct between TWENTY DOLLARS. Light mark across rays 8 to 10. Small mark under O of DOLLARS. |
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#1 PCGS MS66
"The Amon Carter, Jr. Collection," Stack’s, January 1984, Lot 1066 - $6,600 (via David Akers); "The Dr. Steven L. Duckor Collection". As PCGS MS66 #4987566. “The Phillip H. Morse Collection of Saint-Gaudens Coinage,” Heritage Auctions, November 3, 2005, Lot 6667 – $184,000; “The Jacob Collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2008, Lot 3383 – $184,000; “The Dr. and Mrs. Steven L. Duckor Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 5, 2012, Lot 4636 – $138,000. Horizontal tick on far left hem of Liberty’s dress. Diagonal scratch across torso. Hit on left thigh. Scratch at the top of ray 8. On the reverse, carbon spot on Eagle’s wing near center. Three stacked ticks on sun. |
| #1 PCGS MS66 |
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#3 PCGS MS65+
As PCGS MS65 #05930342. Heritage Auctions, August 2007, Lot 2078 - $71,300; "The A&A Saints Collection" (PCGS Set Registry); "The Fox Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). As PCGS MS65+ #37543099. "The Rollo Fox Collection of $20 Saint-Gaudens Gold," Heritage Auctions, January 9, 2020, Lot 4037 - $93,000. Two diagonal marks at the top of ray 4. |
#3 PCGS MS65+
Diagonal mark under Liberty's hair. Small tick on Liberty's blouse to the right of bottom of the torch. Small tick on Liberty's right arm. |
#6 PCGS MS65
As PCGS MS65 #14787985. Stack’s, May 14, 2009, Lot 298 – $57,500; Heritage Auctions, May 5, 2022, Lot 4093 – $144,000. As PCGS MS65 #54817443. GreatCollections, November 16, 2025, Lot 1981178 - $82,755. As PCGS MS65 #54202189. Tick across rays 5 and 6. Two horizontal scratches above rays 7 and 8, and 9 and 10. Small vertical mark between the bottom of the branch and the stars. |
#6 PCGS MS65
As PCGS MS65 #10156891. Heritage Auctions, April 29, 2010, Lot 2355 – $69,000. As PCGS MS65 #84393963. “The Noel Thomas Patton Collection,” Heritage Auctions, May 3, 2023, Lot 3344 – $102,000. As PCGS MS65 #49629193. Thin horizontal mark across torso. Small diagonal tick between T and Y. Jagged diagonal hit on and below Liberty’s left elbow crease. On the reverse, there is a diagonal tick on sun below GOD. |
| #6 PCGS MS65 |
#6 PCGS MS65
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#6 PCGS MS65
Stack’s Bowers, August 7 2012, Lot 11807 – $85,000 Reserve Not Met. Diagonal mark across eagle's left wing. |
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#6 PCGS MS65
“The Stephen Stokely Collection, Part Five,” Heritage Auctions, July 31, 2008, Lot 2114 – $74,750. Dull mark on Liberty’s right leg. Multiple ticks across rays. On the reverse, circular die line across the lower to right periphery. Diagonal hit across eagle’s wind to the lower right of center. |
#6 PCGS MS65
"The Hanalei Bay Saint Collection" (PCGS Set Registry). |
#6 PCGS MS65
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#6 PCGS MS65
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| #6 PCGS MS65 |
The 1924-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
The Denver Mint struck 3,049,500 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles in 1924, yet the vast majority of this mintage never reached the public. Most were held in government reserves and subsequently melted down in the late 1930s following the gold recalls. The few specimens that escaped the crucibles were largely exported to foreign banks, only to be repatriated decades later once the federal government eased restrictions on private gold ownership. Because these survivors were handled as institutional bullion rather than numismatic treasures, many extant examples exhibit the significant bag marks and "chatter" typical of heavy handling.
In his 1982 landmark reference, United States Gold Coins: An Analysis of Auction Records, PCGS Coin Dealer Hall of Famer David W. Akers noted:
“The 1924-D is a scarce date, similar overall to the 1908-S, 1909-D and 1926-S. However, since most known 1924-D twenties are uncirculated, the date is not nearly as rare in Unc. as either the 1908-S or 1909-D.”
More than 40 years later, Akers’ analysis remains remarkably accurate. Currently, the 1924-D ranks 34th overall in terms of certified survivors—nested tightly between the 1909-D (33rd) and the 1908-S (35th).
The Scarcity of "Gem" Specimens
While the 1924-D is comparable to its peers in raw survival numbers, it becomes significantly more elusive in high grades. It is roughly twice as scarce in Gem condition as either the 1908-S or 1909-D. The PCGS Population Report illustrates this steep "condition rarity" curve. Because so few of these institutional survivors were spared the friction of transport, a 1924-D with minimally abraded, lustrous surfaces represents one of the most significant challenges for the specialized Saint-Gaudens collector.
Akers also spoke of two noteworthy specimens. One was the Amon Carter, Jr. coin; the provenance of this piece (now graded PCGS MS66) has remained intact as it has traded from one renowned collector of U.S. gold to another. The story of the second coin is less clear. Described as the finest example Akers had ever seen, this Gem appeared in the 1981 NASCA sale and later in the collections of Marty Haber and Dr. William Crawford. I'd love to "connect the dots" and renew this pedigree story.
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