So I'm guessing these aren't exactly rare.

[Norinn Radd]

Always like the High Relief St Gaudens and just happened to check eBay.

[Bruceswar]

Fairly low Mintage of 12, 367.. Make this coin always in demand. I like the coin myself as well...

[James_OldeTowne]

They aren't rare in terms of population, but high demand keeps them very desirable. I would love to own one.

 

James

[WinstonWare]

They have to be pretty rare to be listed at those prices

[Norinn Radd]

They have to be pretty rare to be listed at those prices

 

Yes, but fifteen up for sale at one time doesn't exactly promote the "mystique of rarity".

 

I wonder why Heritage has so many?

[WinstonWare]

I see your point but you can buy many Saints in MS63 for less than $800. Here they are offering a VF for $9,000. I guess "rare" can mean different things to different people. I was just trying to say that they appear to be amoung the more rare Saints.

[cpm9ball]

Is it possible that the former employees of "Coin Vault" went to work for Heritage?

 

Chris

[WinstonWare]

Coin Vault

[RWB]

The high relief MCMVII double eagles are very easy to acquire - for a price. Beauty of design, relative scarcity and a really good background story make the coin a favorite.

 

The coins were struck in two batches - 500 pieces Aug/Sept, 1907 and the balance Nov 23, 1907 - Jan 6, 1908. After Dec 20 most of the coins lacked the defective "fin" rim, seen on earlier specimens.

 

Coins were sent to the regional sub-Treasuries in bags of 250 pieces. Few of the coins ever made it to a commercial bank or were ever paid out to retail customers. Nearly all were bought at face value by Treasury employees, and many were quickly resold as the retail price approached $35 per coin. By late 1908/ early 1909 the enthusiasm had faded and prices sank to $21 to $22. In 1912 the Curator of the Philadelphia Mint could get only $20.50 for a small group the mint acquired from the Treasurer's office. The worn pieces were probably carried as pocket pieces – as happened with two of the extremely high relief pieces made in early Feb 1907 from different models and dies.

 

Although the coins have been looked at and admired by many thousands of sharp-eyed collectors and dealers, no one has actually done an objective, methodical study of HR $20 for die varieties and edge variations.

 

You can find out about the origin, design and initial production of these pieces in the book "Renaissance of American Coinage 1905-1908."

[James_OldeTowne]

A coin can be expensive due to low population or demand, or a combination of both. The 1909-S VDB cents have a high population, but demand is also high, making them expensive. The high-relief Saints are in a similar boat.

 

James

[jtryka]

From a purely technical standpoint, no, these coins are not rare. They are on par with the 1908-S, however there is much higher demand given the desire among type collectors for a HR example (most type collectors would opt for a common date for a low-relief example, not an 08-S or a 1921 etc.).

[Narmuriel]

Coin Vault

[Norinn Radd]

A coin can be expensive due to low population or demand, or a combination of both. The 1909-S VDB cents have a high population, but demand is also high, making them expensive. The high-relief Saints are in a similar boat.

 

James

 

Point taken. But for a little more money you could have a 1907 Wire Rim Indian Head Eagle, of which only 500 were minted.

 

I'm trying to figure out some of the disparities between rarity and pricing. I guess it boils down to popularity.