The first unveiling of a new artwork celebrating the creative genius of Augustus Saint-Gaudens will be held during the Professional Numismatists Guild (www.PNGdealers.org) awards dinner on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at Morton’s Steakhouse in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity in a silent auction to acquire the remarkable signed and numbered artwork entitled, "Golden Splendor – The 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief Double Eagle."
"This exquisite creation is the result of an extraordinary collaboration between Robert Julian, a renowned numismatic artist celebrated for his intricate and historically rich coin drawings, and Robert Lamb, an acclaimed artist specializing in large-format acrylic paintings that capture breathtaking detail and emotion," explained PNG Executive Director John Feigenbaum.
"Together, they have reimagined one of the most iconic coins in American history: the 1907 Saint-Gaudens High Relief Double Eagle, bringing its timeless beauty to life on a grand scale."
Valued at $1,500 to $3,000, attendees at the dinner will have an opportunity to participate in a silent auction for the first signed and numbered full-size 24 by 32 inches print. It is a limited-edition series of just 25 giclée on canvas pieces that each have an antique Art Nouveau lacquer finish. If interested, collectors can ask their participating PNG dealer to bid on their behalf.
The original artwork will also be on display for guests to admire, showcasing the exceptional detail and artistry behind this unique collaborative creation.
"The PNG publicly recognizes outstanding achievements in the hobby and the profession by honoring deserving recipients with prestigious awards each year. We are excited to include the unveiling of this artwork as part of our event," said PNG President James Sego.
"The Designer Series is my way of honoring the artistic legacy of some of history’s greatest coins," said Robert Julian. "Collaborating with Robert Lamb has brought these designs to life in a new and breathtaking way. We couldn’t be more excited to share this first piece with such a distinguished audience."
During the day on April 23 prior to the awards dinner, the PNG will host a dealers-only PNG Dealer Day show in conjunction with the 86th annual Central States Numismatic Society (www.CSNS.org) convention, April 24-26.
For additional information about the Guild, the 2025 PNG Day and awards dinner and auction, contact Tina Bellanca at PNG headquarters by phone at 951-587-8300 or by email at info@PNGdealers.org.
Ok, Let’s Talk Art! The original was painted by hand in Acrylic Paint. The piece up for auction is “Number One” of “Twenty-Five” giclée’s on canvas. A Giclée is a photographic reproduction of the original and reprinted with a high-resolution watercolor printer on a canvas or a parchment. Sometimes, the artist will make small embellishments on the piece by hand with a paint brush just to include the Artist’s DNA. After printing and embellishment, the piece is sometimes covered in a lacquer finish. At the end of the reproduction process, the piece is hand signed and numbered by the artist… Read more »
E 1,
I’ve always wondered what giclee is, so many thanks for the explanation. Well done indeed!
E 1,
Just an aside here, and most definitely not to take anything away from the very fine presentation of the artist’s home page, but I must say I couldn’t help but find the clearly inadvertent reference to the “Burrow (sic) of Engraving & Printing” to be rather humorous.
I’d be inclined to spend that amount on the coin itself rather than a picture of the coin.
Kaiser,
I think I’m going to buy some prints off of this guy.
https://www.robertjulianna.com/numismatic-prints
E 1,
I can certainly understand that, as this gentleman’s work is beyond amazing! Go for it…you can hardly go wrong. I think when you compare the price of the artwork to the quality, and this regardless of the medium, it’s actually a bargain.
Rich said, “Another comparison can be made with the 2023-W Uncirculated AGE with latest sales = 6,552 and a mintage/product limit = 10,000. I think someone here (maybe Rick?) suggested that the (actual) authorized mintage may be 70% of the stated mintage/product limit.” Rich, I don’t recall making that suggestion, but I do agree with it. I will say that the Mint is in no way obligated to produce the Maximum Mintage limit. These days, it’s just not practical to do so, not for anything. Even the very popular FHG, with the Max set at 17,500, was capped at 10,000… Read more »
With that being said,
The 2023-W Unc AGE has 905 coins left in the Mint’s inventory.
The 6552 pcs on the sales report, plus the 905 pcs left = 7457 out of the 10,000 max limit.
It would be safe to say that in the case of the ’23-W Unc AGE, that the “entire authorized mintage was achieved” at 75%(or 7500 coins) out of a “maximum authorized mintage” of 10,000 coins…
And now I’m fully digressed……
Rick, how did you discover the “2023-W Unc AGE has 905 coins left in the Mint’s inventory.” Not too long ago, one could easily find that information out from the Mint’s product page for the coin with a “AvailableCount” or “DataAvailable” query.
It’s on a usmint.gov website, and it has all of its products showing available inventories. It’s convoluted, but it’s there. I think Major D, or VinnieC uses it? Someone on another coin website showed me.
I’ve got to go for a bit, so I’ll get back with the “secret code” later, lol.
In the meantime, here’s another:
The 2024 USM Uncirculated Coin Set(24RJ), has just 10,430 sets left in inventory.
Rick, you are correct about “mintage limit” and “product limit” versus “authorized mintage.” The case of the FHG really brought that difference to our attention. There are also “discretionary limits” – the Mint reserves the right to implement, adjust, or remove limits at their discretion. Another peculiarity with the FHG coin was that it’s original mintage limit and product limit was 17,500. Then, the week after it’s release (and quickly becoming CU), the Mint changed the product limit to 10,000. For limited numismatic products like we are discussing, I think the authorized mintage could range between 50 to 70% of… Read more »
Games, games, and more games. Just mint to demand. The FHG might have sold 17,500, even without the big buyers getting 20% of the minted “product”..
I agree REB, just mint to demand. The L&B was great, 30 days & done, plenty of time. No pressure, no disappointment, no sweat with your order.
Yes 17,500 FHG would have been a sellout easily, but in 5-10 min, not 2-4 min. Then, we’d have no weekly complaints from JQC, and you wouldn’t have gotten so frustrated! Some argue that the Mint left a TON of money on the table with the 10,000 coin cap. I paid extra, like you did on the secondary, and no complaints about the 10,000 cap.
On Ebay now, the minimum appears to be creeping over $5-6k per coin. Glad I pulled the trigger when I did..
P.S.- I put away my Marine commemorative set yesterday. I decided to take a look at some of the other three-coin sets in the collection. I was disappointed to find some clouding/toning(?) on the mirror fields on a couple of 10+ year old silver dollars. The gold and clad seem to be holding up fine. I also noticed a couple of (sneeze?) dots on a couple of dollars. The capsules have never been opened. I suspect a long-gone mint employee with a cold. P.P.S.- I love the designs on the U.S. Marshals dollar and the American Legion dollar. The star,… Read more »
Very nice coins REB, I don’t recall seeing them before!
I think I favor the US Marshals coin more. The star as you mentioned, the horses, and the rugged Marshal on the reverse. Kind of like an old western scene, nice designs. Proof Silver clouds and spots-up sometimes. The 2010 coin below sure did go bad on me! I sold it as is last year for $27, a loss. Those hazy proofs can be dipped and restored fairly easily, just ask E1…
Looks familiar. What say you, E 1?
REB,
I would have to see it in person. But I would probably dip it. If it turns out bad, I’d put it back in the capsule and sell it. After a chemical dip, I always rinse with distilled water, and proofs always require compressed air to remove every bit of residual water/moisture.
Also, I was a “Life” scout, a patrol leader, a quarter master, and a “Loyal Order of the Arrow” recipient too. But I don’t own one of those. Oh well.
E 1,
As a Cub Scout in 1954 Vienna I was presented with the “Best Dressed Cub Scout Award” by General Mark Clark of WWII fame; he did cut a very impressive figure. Subsequently in 1959 Stuttgart I quit the Boy Scouts to avoid going camping. Simultaneously as an altar boy I had achieved Supreme Grand Knight of the local chapter of Knights of the Altar. Some curious and odd things indeed we can get up to as youngsters.
E1,
If I remember correctly, you, as a Scout had received “Merit Badges” for coin collecting?
If so, you indeed have been collecting coins a long, long time!
Rick,
I obviously can’t speak to how old E 1 is, but I do know that I began my collection at seven and since I’ll be 78 in May I guess one could say that’s a bit of a haul. I have to wonder, though, if the younger generation coming up into collecting now will be interested in and/or motivated enough for that sort of long-term commitment.
Rick,
I do have the Coin Collecting Merit Badge. I believe I have 16 badges in total. Model Design and Building was another one I remember. In reflection, those merit badges did have a positive effect on my life and gave me direction. I should dig that stuff up and revisit it.
Soooo many questions. Is there a video you’d recommend for the process? Must the procedure be done sooner rather than later to avoid permanent damage or is it okay to “think about it” for a few years more? Does the dip put the coin in the dreaded “Details – Cleaned” if graded?
I’m just gathering information at this point from those with much more knowledge of the topic. Then, the mulling process will begin.
REB, I would recommend sooner rather than later as toning is a growing process. Also, practice with a junk silver coin first to develop a handling technique. Always use tongs when dipping. Hold the coin by the edges when drying. I prefer Speed Dip for silver proofs. It is fast and quick. Just a two second dip. Always rinse in distilled water from the grocery store. Haze is easy to remove. Spots can be a different story. I use Badger Propellent with a tap to dry proofs. Never tilt the can. Always keep the can upright when drying a coin.… Read more »
Reb,
I also recommend doing a careful inspection of the coin under lighted magnification before dipping. Haze and toning almost always dip away. But, dark PVC, water spots, carbon spots, and glue spots are next to impossible to get rid of.
I hope this helps.
Many thanks for the information, E 1.
Rick,
I have three of the four iterations of this particular coin and every one of them is a beauty. You’re so right about this being a particularly impressive, artistic and in fact beautiful coin design!
Good choice, nice coins!
Many thanks on both counts, Rick, most especially so considering it’s not all that often anyone cares enough to actually pay attention to the individual coins a fellow collector may have in his collection. I know I always enjoy and appreciate being able to see those among the plethora of coins that you and E 1 are both kind enough to post for our site members’ edification, but since I so rarely do that with mine, if practically ever – I’m beyond hopeless as a photographer of anything smaller than the likes of Mt. Washington, for example – it’s gratifying… Read more »
Thanks Kaiser, you have an extensive, and nice coin collection going back well before I was born. Keep up the good work!
If you catch me dogging on something that you collect, please don’t take it personally, as I’m most likely being a smarty-pants about something else, as you already know.
“I will say that the Mint is in no way obligated to produce the Maximum Mintage limit.”
— Rick
Truer words have never been said. Kudos, old buddy!
Yes, especially the ridiculous mintages for those commems out there…
https://www.usmint.gov/us-marine-corps-250th-anniversary-2025-proof-silver-dollar-25CC.html
I think Cag has a theory about that, and it may have to do with the arguable seigniorage scam perpetuated by the Mint CFO, but I’m most likely way off, and I’d rather not get into that at the moment anyway!
Rick,
Exactly so, and as a matter of fact I’m very glad you brought that up. I’ve never been able to comprehend why the Mint, at the direction of the Congress of course, has to establish these astronomically high production limits that through its own long experience it should by now certainly know have no connection whatsoever to the reality of typical commemorative coin sales numbers/figures.
Rich,
enter the following URL into your search bar. Save it for future searches.
https://www.usmint.gov/on/demandware.store/Sites-USM-Site/default/Product-Variation?pid=
You’re not done yet!..After “?pid=” at the end of the URL, enter the Mint Product Number. For the 2025 Platinum Proof Coin, you’ll see this at the end of the URL…
…”?pid=25EJ”. Now click/enter and the product code page comes up. It will look like the pic below…
You’ll see the description of the coin/product, the price, etc., etc.
Then you scroll down(red arrow)……
Scroll down until you see the “ats”(circled in red)…
The number next to “ats” is the available amount left in inventory. All of the Mint products come up this way. Always enter the product number at the end of the URL before clicking. Always scroll down to find the “ats” to see the available inventory.
The day after the 2025 clad Proof Mint set went on sale, I kept the product code page up, and refreshed throughout several hours. The “ats” number had gone down several thousand during my surveillances that day. Hope this helps/works for you!?
PS: If you get a 500 Error/Sorry this page isn’t working message, simply finish the URL up in your search bar with the Mint “item number” at the end, and click again. Another example of a Mint “item number” would be 24EL(2024 Gold Proof Buffalo)…
Valuable information, Rick! Thanks
Rick, If the Mint’s programmer added a very simple command line to that function, that number could easily be displayed to the user front end (textbox=”ats”). Currently, it is a piece of hard code that runs in the back end and stores a value to the variable “ats”. Either the Mint does not want to publicly display that number to the user front end or they are getting ready to in the future. It is a piece of ghost code that is either a legacy left over or an invokable option in their template. It may also be there for… Read more »
I’ll agree with that E1, even though it’s over my head!
Let’s at least hope that they keep it around, now that the cat is out of the bag, so to speak.
Yeah, they’ve had a history of moving to ball to a different shell multiple times.
Wow, E 1 and Rick, my lack of comprehension of this kind of information, when presented to someone as tech non-savvy as I happen to be, must be precisely what is meant by the old expression “It’s all Greek (or in my case it might as well be cuneiform hieroglyphics) to me”!
Now that, Rick, is some rather impressive and yeoman work; another big kudos for you, my friend!
Thanks for the info, Rick. This will be handy. I’m saving the link now.
Rick, Thanks a Million for providing this very useful information which will benefit many of the readers here at CoinNews.net.
And to think this used to be so very easy! It’s gone from backyard bottle rockets to the Space Launch System at Cape Kennedy. That’s progress, I guess.
Hey Kaiser – I know that Rocket!
To Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams, it was a long long time. Boeing owns you one, two, three, four…………a lot.
E 1,
In the small world department, Sunita happens to be a fellow townsperson of ours. Needless to say, my wife and I were more than a bit distressed when Boeing got her into that awful predicament.
Kaiser,
I would love to say more but, NDAs. I hope Barry and Sunita each get a new house and a new Corvette for their troubles.
E 1,
That hysterical exclamation of yours reminds me of Will Ferrell in the movie Elf when he hears “Santa” will be coming to the department store’s Christmas display and he excitedly shouts “I know him!”
Rich said…Thanks a Million… Rich, no problem. When I found out about the URL link, I had you, Major D, Cali, REB, and everyone in mind who can appreciate data references like that. Anyway, soon after the initial FHG sale back in Nov, we had some conversations about the 7:30 am Mint “Fire Sale” in the immediate days following the FHG release debacle. https://www.coinnews.net/2024/11/20/us-mint-sales-flowing-hair-gold-coin-debuts/#comment-548057 I wonder if @ treybenedict, the guy who reported the FHG “Fire Sale” sales numbers that I had posted, was using this “URL stock link” to game the system? He is BTW, a sales rep/person who… Read more »
“The FHG was/still is a hot coin apparently?”
Speaking of which, I see Stack’s Bowers has a couple of FHG privies for sale in their upcoming Spring Showcase auction. I guess they were able to shake them loose via those emails sent to 12/24 auction buyers. Both lots in the current auction are 69s.
I see that now, it’s in the “Rarities Night” auction.(did you get the primo, heavy catalogues via USPS?) Just look at some of those coins on the Proof page of coins linked below. I wish I had bought Privy #13, it’s nicer than mine(#32)by a smidge? Maybe not #13 Privy, that spells bad luck?
https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/auctions/3-1H6YVQ/spring-2025-showcase-auction-session-3-rarities-night-lots-3001-3253?limit=36&coin_finish=1-11DK0
Here’s a tri-salute(FH pic)to Ventris and gang for coin design of the year in ’24…
Take care Ms V……
“did you get the primo, heavy catalogues via USPS?”
I did. They made me feel like a VIP, baby! S&B has a couple of 1854-S dollars (Lots 10034 & 10035) up in Session 11. One is cleaned, and the other is “Mount Removed” (whatever that means—maybe the coin was glued to something for display?). I may hold my fire this time and find something I like more.
I’ve grown quite fond of that lady with the tall forehead and flowing hair. I wasn’t a big fan of the design before the release, but I’ve been converted.
Rick, and thanks again for having your pulse on the 2024 FHG release and sharing that real-time, actionable information with us here at CoinNews. The FHG coin was the highlight of the year for the US Mint and it’s 2024 Coin of the Year in my book.
Rich, Back at you for all of your facts & figures that you post. Imagine having that “in stock” URL before and during the FHG sale!? First, you’d discover that less than 8000 coins would be available to you and the public? Secondly, if you were to refresh the page every 20 seconds, bye bye within 2-4 min, wow. From what I can tell, the page updates nearly simultaneous with outgoing orders? That’s how I took it the day that I watched the ’25 clad Proof mint sets as I refreshed the page throughout the day. I’m looking forward to… Read more »
REB, “S&B has a couple of 1854-S dollars (Lots 10034 & 10035) up in Session 11. One is cleaned, and the other is “Mount Removed” (whatever that means—maybe the coin was glued to something for display?)”. Um yeah, hold your fire on that one bud! It’s damaged badly on the back. It was likely soldered onto something like a finger ring, or earing stud, or perhaps a cufflink lol.. The obverse is scratched up badly, hinting at a ring, or cufflink installed coin, but who knows? The original FH design was masterfully reproduced for the ’24 Medal & Coin, forehead,… Read more »
Yep, it’s a hard pass on the “Mount Removed” coin. Your jewelry speculation is interesting. The gold dollar is tiny – smaller than a dime or the 1/10 ounce AGE. It makes sense that such a small coin would be used in fine jewelry. Makes one wonder what will happen to those quarters once they’re taken out of Mint ornaments?
As for Ms. Gibson’s nearly five-month old, forward-looking video comments about the Mint and the coming Semiquincentennial, my response is familiar to anyone who has followed “The Simpsons” over the past four decades – D’OH!