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Question: I notice that there are two varieties of the MCMVII High Relief $20 gold coins. What is the difference between them? How rare is each? What is the difference in value?
Answer: The “Wire Rim” MCMVII double eagle has a raised or “wire” rim around the obverse, in particular, and reverse, due to metal squeezing out from the collar. The “Flat Rim” variety, about three times scarcer, has partial or no “wire” rim. In general collectors do not try to collect one of each variety as there is no real numismatic significance between the two. Probably because of this there is no real difference in value between the two varieties.
