1933 double eagle book

Click the button below to add the 1933 double eagle tribute proof to your wish list. It has a unique history related to the great depression and even major legal disputes today. David tripp has written a well researched and easily read book that takes the reader on a captivating odyssey of the extremely rare and legal 1933 double eagle. To end the run on the banks and stabilize the economy, president franklin roosevelt took america off the gold standard.

One coin, for years the only known 1933 twentydollar double eagle in the world, has inspired the passions of thieves and collectors, lawyers and charlatans. Although 445,500 specimens of this saintgaudens double eagle were minted in 1933, none were ever officially circulated, and all but two were ordered melted down. Greg weinmans lecture greg weinman, senior legal counsel at the united states mint, will present a lecture focusing on the litigation involved with the 1933 double eagle coins. This is the first time that the united states government has authorized private ownership of a 1933 double eagle.

While at the 2017 ana worlds fair of money i visited the u. Surrender of 1933 saintgaudens double eagle puts one. Forgive the shameless selfplugging, but in 2006, we published double eagle, a book about the amazing history that culminated in the sale of that 1933 coin. A year later, the single surviving 1933 gold double eagle was sold at auction for an astonishing 7. Mint in philadelphia before the 1933 series was melted down when the country went. Gold coins in 1933, franklin roosevelt signed executive order 6102, severely limiting the amount of gold that could be owned by the public, and requiring the vast majority of gold coins in the u. Before this policy could be enacted, however, the u. After it was struck in 1933, president roosevelt, in one of his first acts as president, took the united states off the gold standard in an effort to help the struggling american economy out of the great depression. This 1933 double eagle was in king farrokes sp collection that the egyptian government sold at auction in 1954. Type one liberty head double eagles your guide, by.

Mint in the depths of the great depression, shipped via diplomatic pouch to egypt, hidden for forty years, seized in a 1996 government sting at the waldorfastoria, and finally sold in a recordsetting auction. The 1933 gold double eagle was never officially issued the u. This storied coin, once owned by king farouk and famously stored in a vault below new york citys world trade center shortly before the complex was. Small 4to, original blue leatherette decoratively blindstamped, upper cover and spine lettered in gilt. Since there is only one in existence able to be privately and legally owned, the 1933 double eagle is considered one of the rarest coins in the world today. The reason is that other than the 1933 double eagle. Most of the 1933 double eagles found their way back home, but some did not. Washington acting deputy director david motl today announced that the united states mint will display two of the ten 1933 double eagle coins recovered by the government in 2004 that were the subject of 11 years of litigation, which was recently resolved in favor of the government, at the american numismatic association worlds fair of money in denver, colorado, from august 1 to. Double eagles are valued because of their historical context and beauty. Although 445,500 double eagles had been minted with the 1933 date, not one was released into circulation because of changes made to currency laws during the great depression. Collectible coin causes confusion in all that glisters is.

However, before they were officially released, an executive order by franklin d. The official red book, a guide of united states coins by r. This piece is the only 1933 double eagle the government legalized for private ownership. It shouldnt even exist but it does, and its astonishing, true adventures read like a composite of the lord of the rings and the maltese falcon the new york times. However, not every 1933 double eagle floating around is going to be worth that much. Yeoman states that 445,500 double eagle gold coins were produced in 1933 at the philadelphia mint. Welcome to, the internets leading site for information about united states twenty dollar gold pieces, or double eagles, struck between 1850 and 1933. Order your 1933 double eagle gold replica now use our secure, easytonavigate ecommerce site to order your beautiful 1933 gold coin copy today.

Now one of the rarest coins of all time, the 1933 saintgaudens double eagle is also one of the most valuable. This site is the product of many years worth of research by doug winter, the leading expert in. What is the value of a 1933 gold double eagle proof copy. As alison frankel, who published a book on the 1933 double eagle wrote in a 2003 article in the american lawyer publication, the day of the auction was a brutal day in manhattan, air hanging. Buy pre 1933 double eagle gold coins at just above melt value. Investors may find liberty head, indian head, and st. The saintgaudens double eagle is a twentydollar gold coin, or double eagle, produced by the united states mint from 1907 to 1933. Illegal to own and coveted all the more, it has been sought with. Unfollow 1933 double eagle to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.

The eliasberg 1933 double eagle collectors universe. Mint issued gold coins in 4 denominations primarily. However, 20 more are known to have been rescued from melting by being stolen and found their way into the hands of collectors before later being recovered. Welcome to pennsylvania association of numismatists. Mint produced 330,000 twenty dollar gold coins, which were quickly nicknamed the double eagle. Over the years, the coin and its complex lore have been written about extensively, as the main focus of a number of books, magazine and newspaper articles. I also look into a very interesting story about the lost 1933 double eagle gold coin and recommend a book by david tripp entitled illegal tender. It is one of americas treasures the most valuable ounce of gold in the world, the celebrated, the fabled, the infamous 1933 double eagle. The mint struck nearly a halfmillion of the double eagles in philadelphia in 1933 but never released them. The coins were put in large lots with great rarities mixed in common dross. The 1933 double eagle coin was never officially released into circulation and still considered the pinnacle of gold coins by most avid collectors.

The author wastes no time jumping into the thick of things and every page is full of insight and great reading. Ben mezrich, author of the new york times bestseller bringing down the house illegal tender is an excellent read the first book ive ever read where the protagonist is a coin, the 1933 double eagle. The 1933 double eagle is a united states 20dollar gold coin. Along the way, the reader will appreciate the historical context. The double eagle revolves around two main characters, jennifer browne, a disgraced fbi agent, and tom kirk, a brilliant international art thief. In 1933, the united states went off the gold standard and the federal government required all citizens to turn in gold coins, bullion and other gold objects to the federal reserve in return for cash. And as we learned in our reporting for that book, berke is one helluva good coin lawyer. But we have a particular interest in berkes sideline in coin litigation. Roosevelt was issued and the gold coins never made it into circulation. President theodore roosevelt was inspired by an exhibition of. Sitting there looking at the small hoard, roy knew that finding those coins could be life changing. Its a firstrate adventure story, and i was instantly hooked. In total there were 10 envelopes marked llde, each containing one 1933 double eagle. Greg told me the amazing story of the 1933 double eagle gold.