The finest set of historic Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles will be publicly displayed for the first time anywhere at the American Numismatic Association 2023 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money®, August 8 – 12.

The unparalleled collection, insured for $25 million, has been loaned by an anonymous owner to GreatCollections (www.GreatCollections.com) of Irvine, California for the debut exhibit.
"This is the complete Elite Collection that is ranked number one in the PCGS Set Registry in the category of St. Gaudens $20 denomination U.S. gold basic set, circulation strikes and proofs 1907-1932," said Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections.
"There are 61 coins — 53 business strike issues and 8 proofs — and 35 of these beautiful gold coins are either the single finest known or tied for finest. The average grade is a staggering 66.57," explained Russell. "Some of these great Saints have been in such famous collections as Akers, Duckor, Eliasberg, Koessl, and Simpson."
While the owner of the Elite Collection has been collecting for 23 years, it was only two years ago that he set his sights on acquiring the finest complete collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles ever formed with most of the set sourced by GreatCollections.
Highlights of the Elite Collection set include:
- 1907 High Relief, Wire Rim and Flat Rim, both PCGS MS67+, CAC
- 1907 PCGS MS-68 finest known, Ex. Fox-Simpson
- 1908 Motto Matte Poof PCGS PR-67 tied for finest known, CAC Ex. Koessl
- 1910 PCGS MS-66+ finest known, CAC, Ex. Duckor-Simpson
- 1910-D PCGS MS-67+ finest known, CAC, Ex. Duckor-Simpson
- 1911 PCGS PR-67+ finest known, CAC Ex. Eliasberg-Koessl
- 1914 PCGS PR-67 none finer, CAC, Ex. Koessl
- 1914-D PCGS MS-67 finest known, Ex. Simpson
- 1921 PCGS MS-65+, CAC, Ex. Eliasberg-Duckor-Simpson
- 1924-D PCGS MS-67 finest known, Ex. Stellar-Simpson
- 1927-D PCGS MS-66+, CAC, Ex. Eliasberg
The Elite Collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles will be displayed at the GreatCollections booth, #1100, during the ANA convention at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
"For decades, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series has been revered by serious numismatists and, even more than 100 years from when it was first issued, is widely considered to be the most impressive coin ever minted. We are pleased to arrange this exhibit at the ANA Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money so collectors can enjoy the very best Saints," stated Russell.
For additional information about the coins, visit www.GreatCollections.com or call 800-442-6467. For additional information about the American Numismatic Association 2023 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money, visit www.WorldsFairofMoney.com.
I clearly am not very well versed regarding the pricing of such high grade scarce Gold Double Eagles because I would certainly have imagined the total insurance value of the 61 examples to have been set at well above the $25 million stated.
Kaiser,
You can bet the company that insured this amazing collection of 61 highest grade gold coins is crossing their fingers that they aren’t stolen in transit or while on exhibit at this major 5-day coin show/convention.
They sure are nice to look at!
NumisdudeTX
Kaiser Wilhelm and Seth, you bring up a good point and I’m wondering, if an insurance company can take out a policy, to “insure, what they are insuring”? Hmmm…
Actually, Caliskier, unless I am sorely mistaken there are indeed secondary insurers whose function it is to serve as a way of limiting or minimizing the amount of risk taken by the primary insurance company.
Caliskier,
As a former licensed insurance agent in Texas, the answer to your question is “”Yes” – insurance companies often take out “backup” insurance policies on their own insured “risks” like this $25 million gold coin set with other Insurance companies. Insurance is a gamble, of course, but you can limit your risk somewhat with such a strategy.
NumisdudeTX
Thanks Seth & Kaiser for the answers! Interesting how such services can get stacked? I’ll pay you, you’ll pay them, they’ll pay?, so on and so forth? Get enough parties involved and they’ll cancel each other out and no one will be responsible for paying out the claim? Kind of how it appears to work now? Joking, but kind of serious…
Perhaps a plausible analogy, CaliSkier, would be that when the loan shark shows up with his henchmen to collect the late payments on the outstanding debts instead of suffering the finality of cement overshoes the various borrowers escape with no more than badly broken arms.
Interesting way of looking at tit Kaiser! LOL
The use of the term “interesting”, CaliSkier, as opposed to the many other far more “loaded” words you could have applied here is an excellent display of your considerable powers of restraint.
That is one heck of a beautiful collection of Gold Double Eagles, isn’t it, Seth? As far as any possible loss taken by the insurance company, I suppose just as with almost any other way of making money they know there’s an element of risk involved.