The U.S. Mint has accomplished what talented sculptor and designer Augustus Saint Gaudens intended to do in 1907. The Mint will recreate the 1907 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle $20 gold coin in unlimited quantities bearing the year 2009 for this one year only. However, if there are still coins from 2009 available in inventory, 2009 coins might still be offered in 2010.

The 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle will be composed of 24kt gold and have a 27 millimeter diameter. The obverse of the coin will have a very similar design to the original Saint Gaudens design of the 1907 $20 gold coins, but with the date in the Roman numerals MMIX, indicating the year 2009. The obverse will now contain 50 stars as opposed to the original 46 stars because four states have been added to the union since then.

The reverse side of the coin will still display 14 sun rays as the original Saint Gaudens coins did. The reverse will now display the inscription of "In God We Trust" even though the original 1907 Saint Gaudens coins did not have this inscription (current law now requires U.S. coins to have the inscription). The edge of the coin will also have the same edge inscriptions of "E Pluribus Unum."

The Mint recently displayed some of the 2009 Ultra High Relief coins at the recent ANA show in Baltimore for public viewing. The coins will be released to the public early in 2009 with no ordering limits. Currently, there is no pricing information available for the coins.