Coin values · 90% gold · 1850–1907
$20 Liberty double eagle value: gold melt value today
The $20 Liberty Head double eagle (1850–1907) is 90% gold and holds 0.9675 troy oz of pure gold, so its value starts at the gold price. Common dates in circulated grades trade a little above melt; key dates and high grades are collector coins. At the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold), one coin’s 0.9675 oz of gold was worth $3,802.
$20 Liberty double eagle specifications
| Years struck | 1850–1907 |
|---|---|
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Mints | Philadelphia (no mintmark), San Francisco (S), New Orleans (O), Carson City (CC), Denver (D, 1906–1907) |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper and silver |
| Weight | 33.436 g |
| Diameter | 34 mm, reeded edge |
| Gold content (AGW) | 0.9675 troy oz |
| Face value | $20 |
| Melt value | $3,802 at the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold); live value above |
Weights, fineness and mintages come from the primary records listed under Sources; melt is computed from the gold or silver content.
$20 Liberty double eagle melt calculator
Melt = pure metal content × recent spot (gold $3,929.23/oz). This is the bullion floor; collectible coins can be worth far more. Federal rules restrict melting only 1¢ and 5¢ coins (31 CFR Part 82; 1942–1945 silver war nickels are exempt). This estimates intrinsic value.
What a $20 Liberty double eagle’s gold has been worth since 1968
A $20 Liberty double eagle held about $37.83 of gold in 1968, peaked near $5,053 in 2026, and its metal is worth $3,802 today. That is melt only; a scarce date or high grade can carry a collector premium on top.
$20 Liberty double eagle melt value by decade
Melt of one coin at each decade’s December close. The peak month was Feb 2026 at $5,053; the low was Jan 1970 at $33.85. Melt has been above the $20.00 face value in every month since 1968, and is now about 190 times face.
| Close | Gold price | Melt per coin |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1970 | $37.38 | $36.17 |
| Dec 1980 | $589.75 | $571 |
| Dec 1990 | $386.20 | $374 |
| Dec 2000 | $274.45 | $266 |
| Dec 2010 | $1,405.50 | $1,360 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,887.60 | $1,826 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | $3,929.23 | $3,802 |
Prices: LBMA benchmark history, then Bullion Trading LLC 5 pm ET spot closes (monthly observations).
About the $20 Liberty double eagle
Congress authorized the $20 gold piece on March 3, 1849, as California Gold Rush gold reached the Mint; regular striking began in 1850. It was the largest US coin denomination until gold coinage ended in 1933.
Three types: Type 1 (1850–1866) has no motto; Type 2 (1866–1876) adds IN GOD WE TRUST above the eagle with the denomination as TWENTY D.; Type 3 (1877–1907) spells out TWENTY DOLLARS.
Gold coins were recalled in 1933 and many melted, but large numbers had been shipped abroad and later came back from European banks. That is why circulated Liberty $20s are still common in the bullion trade.
Key dates and mintages
- New Orleans issues such as the 1854-O and 1856-O are great rarities.
- 1870-CC: the rarest Carson City double eagle.
- Coins recovered from the SS Central America (lost in 1857) are sold with shipwreck provenance.
When is a $20 Liberty double eagle worth more than melt?
Common-date VF to AU coins trade at a modest premium over melt. Branch-mint rarities and mint-state coins are priced by collectors; we do not publish collector prices.