USA gold 20 dollar piece
Object
coin
Title
USA gold 20 dollar piece
Production date
1908
Material
Gold
Dimensions
width (Whole): 33mm
Description
American $20 gold coin dated 1908 with eagle on front and Liberty on reverse. The $10 coin was known as an 'eagle' so the $20 coin became known as the 'Double Eagle'. The coin was part of the 'Hackney hoard', a collection of 80 double eagles belonging to the Sulzbacher family.
In 1938 Martin Sulzbacher and his family fled anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany and sought refuge in Hackney. They brought with them the family savings in gold coins and stored them in a bank vault.
When WWII broke out Martin was interned by the British Government as an ‘enemy alien refugee’ and sent to Canada on the ill-fated Arandora Star which was torpedoed. After many hours in the water he was rescued by a Canadian destroyer which landed him in Scotland. A week later he was sent to Australia on the Dunera together with some 2,000 other Jewish refugees. His wife and 4 small children were interned on the Isle of Man.
Martin’s parents, widowed sister Fanny, brother Fritz and his wife, all stayed in Hackney. Nazi soldiers were raiding bank vaults in Amsterdam and other invaded cities. The family decided to bury their 160 gold coins in 2 jars in the garden for safe keeping. Tragically, the house was bombed in 1940, all 5 family members were killed and the secret location lost.
Martin was later re-united with his wife and children. They returned to London where they also took care of Fritz’s 4 orphaned children. He seached the garden with a metal detector but was unable to locate the coins in the rubble.
Ten years later the first jar of coins was found by workmen digging foundations for a new building. The coroner returned the coins to Martin in 1952.
The second jar was finally found in 2007 after almost 70 years in the ground. It contained 80 American $20 ‘Double-Eagle’ bullion coins dating from 1854-1913. Martin passed away in 1981, so the coroner awarded the coins to his children, the legal heirs. They kindly donated this one to Hackney Museum along with the original jar and wrappers.
In 1938 Martin Sulzbacher and his family fled anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany and sought refuge in Hackney. They brought with them the family savings in gold coins and stored them in a bank vault.
When WWII broke out Martin was interned by the British Government as an ‘enemy alien refugee’ and sent to Canada on the ill-fated Arandora Star which was torpedoed. After many hours in the water he was rescued by a Canadian destroyer which landed him in Scotland. A week later he was sent to Australia on the Dunera together with some 2,000 other Jewish refugees. His wife and 4 small children were interned on the Isle of Man.
Martin’s parents, widowed sister Fanny, brother Fritz and his wife, all stayed in Hackney. Nazi soldiers were raiding bank vaults in Amsterdam and other invaded cities. The family decided to bury their 160 gold coins in 2 jars in the garden for safe keeping. Tragically, the house was bombed in 1940, all 5 family members were killed and the secret location lost.
Martin was later re-united with his wife and children. They returned to London where they also took care of Fritz’s 4 orphaned children. He seached the garden with a metal detector but was unable to locate the coins in the rubble.
Ten years later the first jar of coins was found by workmen digging foundations for a new building. The coroner returned the coins to Martin in 1952.
The second jar was finally found in 2007 after almost 70 years in the ground. It contained 80 American $20 ‘Double-Eagle’ bullion coins dating from 1854-1913. Martin passed away in 1981, so the coroner awarded the coins to his children, the legal heirs. They kindly donated this one to Hackney Museum along with the original jar and wrappers.
Production person
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Production person note
This coin uses Saint-Gaudon's original 1905 design and does not include the line "In God we Trust". The coin was created under Roosevelt's presidency, and although he was devout he believed in the seperation of Church and State.
In 1908 the design was changed to include the motto, leaving only a relatively small number produced to the original design between 1907-8.
In 1908 the design was changed to include the motto, leaving only a relatively small number produced to the original design between 1907-8.
Production place
Philadelphia
Inscription
United States of America Twenty Dollars
Liberty 1908
Liberty 1908
Object number
2011.78
On display?
No