Once a special order piece, the Half-Ounce Saint-Gaudens Replica .999 Silver bullion piece has made its way back by popular demand!
Struck in .999 Fine Silver, this SilverTowne Trademark round is custom minted at our very own SilverTowne Mint in rural Winchester, Indiana.
The obverse features a full-length Lady Liberty as she moves forward holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch of peace in the other. Sun rays fill the background with stars lining the outer edge of the replica. The reverse showcases an eagle perched on a branch with the designation of “One-Half Ounce .999 Fine Silver” on the upper curve of the bullion piece.
Measuring 30mm in diameter, this Saint-Gaudens replica, sometimes referred to as St.Gaudens, is available in a single piece and 20 count options. Packaging options are available as well.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens History
In American coinage, one name seems to enter every collector and affiliated coin community’s mind when thinking of iconic designs: Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Responsible for the legendary design that is the $20 Gold Double Eagle, Saint-Gaudens’ artistic mastery launched him to the top of numismatics and carved out a spot in history due to his contributions to the coin world in the 20th century.
Called to design a piece that would reinvigorate American coinage from none other than President Theodore Roosevelt himself, Saint-Gaudens originally created the 1907 Ultra High Relief, which in the end, was too unrealistic when using as a circulated coin. His second design, which was designated High Relief, was also deemed too unrealistic for circulation but due to President Roosevelt’s persistence became a normal issue coin. While it should have been kept a pattern coin instead of a circulation, the Saint-Gaudens Without Motto used roman numerals for the year and came in two different varieties: Wire Rim and Flat Rim. The difference in varieties really came down to the strike. The famous design instantly became popular and were selling above their face value almost immediately.
In the time following the release to the public, measures were taken to decrease the amount of relief in the design to allow for normal presses to produce what the general circulation garnered. The new design, the Saint-Gaudens Without Motto using Arabic numerals for the year, was produced from 1907 to 1908. With the help from Charles Barber’s engraving of the new dies, the general public voiced their concern of the “In God We Trust” being left off the coin which led to the production of the Saint-Gaudens With Motto from 1908-1933.
“In God We Trust” found its way back to the design and was kept until the $20 gold piece was no longer in production in 1933. This last pattern was struck at Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. As the years went on, the coins minted were either shipped overseas or melted making the latter years rare and hard to come by.
While the design for the $20 gold piece stopped being produced in the early 1930’s, Augustus Saint-Gaudens left a lasting impression on current gold designs as the Gold American Eagle program lifted the brainchild from the ashes. In 1986, the obverse of gold bullion produced from the United States Mint was used in inspiration of Saint-Gaudens’ design almost 80 years later.
Featured Product(s): 1/2 Ounce Saint-Gaudens Replica Silver Rounds
See All SilverTowne Minted 1/2oz Silver Rounds Designs
