Expert: Dan Moore - 8/4/2009

Question
Hello,
I am trying to get a rough estimate for a 1924 liberty coin. It is marked as a $20 gold piece. It appears to have a marking of some sort immediately under the year. I have two questions. First, how would I verify authenticity? I know that my great grandfather bought 4 from a bank in 1975 as a memento for he & his wife's 50th anniversary. He gave one to each of their 4 children. My grandfather had his made into a necklace for my grandmother, so the coin is surrounded by a gold rope setting.
Secondly, what would be an estimated value of this piece? I'm assuming that the value is depreciated due to the chain setting.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Answer
Kate,

The marking under the date would be a monogram for Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the coin's designer.  If it had a "D" or "S" above the date, that would indicate that the coin was made at either the Denver or San Francisco Mint -- nothing above the date indicates it was made at the main mint in Philadelphia.

You can see a pictuire of one here :
http://www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/saint_gaudens_double_eagles/1924s_double_...

To verify authenticity, you can take it to any coin shop or coin show, and have it examined by a dealer.

You may find a local coin show listed below :
http://www.coinshows.com
http://www.coinworld.com

Being mounted into a necklace, the coin has lost any collector value it may have had.  However it is still 33.4 grams of 90% gold (0.9675 ounce pure), so it has a current gold value of $933 for the coin, plus whatever for the gold rope setting and chain.

I hope this helps,

Dan