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Wednesday, 28th May 2008 (1930 views)

Two "almost impossibly rare" gold coins belonging to the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) in Washington DC have been hailed as "small masterpieces" by one expert.

Writing in Smithsonian magazine, author Owen Edwards says the coins - 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles - were designed by in the early 1900s by "America's pre-eminent sculptor" Augustus Saint-Gaudens at the behest of then-president Theodore Roosevelt.

However, despite the 1933 Double Eagle - which had a face value of $20 (£10) - being considered by many to be the "most beautiful coin this country ever minted", they were never circulated and when Theodore Roosevelt's cousin and president Franklin D Roosvelt brought America off the gold standard that same year, they were ordered to be melted down.

Around 2,000 of the coins were sent to the furnaces and converted into ingots but Mr Edwards said, mystery still surrounds the fate of many of these "small masterpieces".

NMAH curator Richard Doty said: "We don't know how many survived."

In related news, a collection of Double Eagle coins minted between 1850 and 1907 thought to be worth $6.5 million has gone on display at the Long Beach Coin, Stamp and Collectibles Expo in California.

 

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