This coin’s story is pure numismatic drama, which lays the background for the story of “The Secrets of the Majestic Meridian”…

The 1933 Gold Double Eagle: A Coin of Mystery and Legend

1. Origins and Design
The Double Eagle was a $20 gold coin designed by famed sculptor *Augustus Saint-Gaudens* at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt. The design, introduced in 1907, features Lady Liberty striding forward on the obverse and a majestic eagle in flight on the reverse—widely considered one of the most beautiful U.S. coin designs ever minted.

2. The 1933 Mintage
In 1933, the U.S. Mint struck 445,500 Double Eagles at the Philadelphia Mint. However, due to the worsening Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102, which required Americans to turn in their gold. The Gold Reserve Act of 1934 followed, effectively ending the gold standard and making it illegal to own most gold coins.

3. Melted Down—But Not Forgotten
Because of the new laws, the 1933 Double Eagles were never officially released into circulation. Nearly all were melted down into gold bars, except for two coins preserved for the Smithsonian Institution.

4. The Great Escape
Despite the melt order, about 20 coins mysteriously escaped the Mint—likely through a cashier named George McCann and a Philadelphia jeweler, Israel Switt. The U.S. Secret Service later recovered and destroyed most of these coins, but a few survived in private hands.

5. The Farouk Specimen
One coin was legally exported to King Farouk of Egypt in 1944 before the U.S. government realized the theft. After Farouk was overthrown, the coin vanished—only to resurface in 1996 in the hands of a British dealer. A legal battle ensued, and in 2002, the coin was sold at auction for $7.6 million. It sold again in 2021 for a record-breaking $18.9 million, making it the most expensive coin ever sold.

6. The Langbord Hoard
In 2005, ten more 1933 Double Eagles were discovered in a family safe deposit box belonging to Switt’s descendants. The U.S. government seized them, and after a lengthy legal battle, the courts ruled they were still government property.

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This coin isn’t just rare—it’s a symbol of economic upheaval, legal intrigue, and the enduring allure of gold. 

So, imagine with me if you will about “What If” 200 more of these coins were out there, and you had a clue on where to find them.  “The Secrets of the Majestic Meridian” tells that adventurous tale. So, join Jack and Emma on their quest for the coins.