1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin

The 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin was originally minted in volume similar to many of the earlier issues. However, following the end of the gold standard in 1933, most 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coins were melted. That means some of the coins from that period, though originally common, are now considered rare.

The St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin is named for its designer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin has since been dubbed the most beautiful gold coin the U.S. has ever produced, with a majestic image of Lady Liberty on the obverse and a flying eagle on the reverse.

This Gold Coin was not only beautiful in its design but its size as well. Today, though these coins are no longer being produced, they are extremely popular amongst collectors from all over the world.

Grading the 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin

When you are talking about coins that are decades old, the condition of the piece is something no one can guarantee. You will notice that these coins are the source of a lot of collector attention in that every collector will pick apart every facet of the coin prior to making a purchase.

For most people, the best option is to have their 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin sent away for grading at the hands of a professional organization. Knowing that not everyone has the time and money to do this, we have provided below an outline of the basic coin grades as well as their related characteristics.

Uncirculated: An Uncirculated coin is one that spent absolutely no time at all being circulated and has been well-preserved as a result. When it comes to these coins, the condition is never disputed because there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. In fact, these pieces more closely resemble a brand new coin than anything else.

Extremely Fine: A coin that is determined as being Extremely Fine is one that has spent only a short period of time exchanging hands. Though you may be able to notice some very light signs of circulation, these signs of damage are only visible under close inspection. For collectors, these pieces are in great condition.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coins that have seen a lot of time exchanging hands but have not been so heavily and irreversibly damaged during that time. The surfaces of these coins will have been worn down a bit thanks to the changing of hands, but the images and inscriptions on the faces will still be able to be made out without too much trouble at all.

Good: Good is the grade given to coins that have been circulated for extended periods of time and have been heavily damaged during that time. You will notice that the surfaces of the coin will have been completely smoothed such that the imagery and inscriptions may no longer be able to be made out with the naked eye. Though affordable, these pieces are generally in pretty poor shape.

Pricing the 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin

If you would like to determine an accurate price for the 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin, you must first assess the condition of the coin. In addition to that, by paying attention to the type of coin you own you will be able to tell just how rare the coin you have is. Listed below is a chart aimed at giving you a better idea of what you might be asked to pay for a 1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin given its condition.

St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin	N/A	N/A	N/A	$20,000
1931 St. Gaudens $20 Gold Coin (D)	N/A	N/A	N/A	$20,000
Source: Red Book