Collection: Type 2, With Motto TWENTY D.

Designed by: James Barton Longacre
Issue Dates: 1866-1876
Composition: 90% gold, 10% copper
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 33.43 grams (515.99 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 16,160,758
Proof Mintage: 335

1866–1876 Liberty Head Double Eagle – Type II | Motto Added, “TWENTY D.” Reverse

Introduced in 1866, the Type II Liberty Head Double Eagle marked a ... Read More

Designed by: James Barton Longacre
Issue Dates: 1866-1876
Composition: 90% gold, 10% copper
Diameter: 34 mm
Weight: 33.43 grams (515.99 grains)
Edge: Reeded
Business Strike Mintage: 16,160,758
Proof Mintage: 335

1866–1876 Liberty Head Double Eagle – Type II | Motto Added, “TWENTY D.” Reverse

Introduced in 1866, the Type II Liberty Head Double Eagle marked a pivotal design change in America’s largest circulating gold denomination. For the first time, the national motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” was added to the reverse, positioned within a circle of stars above the eagle—a direct response to public sentiment following the Civil War. This addition remained a permanent feature of U.S. coinage thereafter.

Designed by James B. Longacre, the obverse continues to feature the classic Liberty Head portrait, crowned by a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, with 13 stars encircling the field and the date below. The reverse retains the iconic heraldic eagle motif, but now includes the motto ribbon and the denomination expressed as “TWENTY D.”—a style used only through 1876. In 1877, the denomination was changed to “TWENTY DOLLARS”, officially concluding this subtype.

Rarity & Market Overview

Struck primarily at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints, Type II double eagles were also produced at Carson City beginning in 1870. The 1870-CC is a well-known key rarity within the series and among the most sought-after coins in U.S. numismatics.

• Common date examples (such as 1873-S or 1876-S) are accessible in Very Fine (VF) to About Uncirculated (AU) grades.

• Uncirculated (MS60–MS62) coins are not often encountered, and MS63 or finer examples are rare, especially with original surfaces.

• Proofs were struck in very limited numbers and are extremely rare, with high collector and investor demand.

Numismatic Significance

The Type II Liberty Head Double Eagle reflects a nation entering the Reconstruction era—financially ambitious, politically transformed, and spiritually renewed. These coins circulated widely in international commerce and domestic banking, making survivors in high grade a challenge for even advanced collectors.

Whether you’re building a U.S. gold type set, curating a Carson City collection, or investing in historically significant pre-1933 gold, the 1866–1876 “IN GOD WE TRUST / TWENTY D.” double eagle represents a foundational and enduring legacy of American coinage.