I have a MCMVII twenty dollar coin. it is 3 in in diameter. Is it real or just a copy?
It looks like the original $20 gold coin.
In short, you have a copy. To get this answer, we have to examine what type of coin it is you have. First, I examine what types of gold $20 coins were produced in the year in question and then figure out what exact coin it is. I then look at the diameter of the genuine coin to find out if it is a copy or not. Next, I examine similar coins in my coin collection. By doing so, I am able to pretty much narrow down exactly what type of coin you have.
There are two types of gold $20 US coins made in 1907, the Liberty Head and the Saint-Gaudens. These types of coins are referred to as double eagles. The Liberty Head Gold Double Eagle never had its date in Roman numerals and is 34mm in diameter or approximately 1.34 inches so that is out. The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, on the other hand, did have Roman numerals and only had them in one year, 1907, the date you have above. Unfortunately, its diameter is 34.1 mm or again approximately 1.34 inches. A coin three inches in diameter is really almost unheard of unless it it a copy. Coins are supposed to serve a practical purpose by serving as currency. If you think about it, it really is not very practical to have a coin 3 inches in diameter because very few people would want to carry a 3 inch coin around in their pocket when they could carry a single $20 bill. For this reason, if you have a coin 3 inches in diameter, it is probably a copy or was never meant as currency. Unless you are wrong about the coin being three inches in diameter, the coin is, unfortunately, not a genuine US federal issue coin.
If you had an actual copy, a 1907 Saint-Gaudens with Roman numerals is worth anywhere from $6,000 to $18,000 blue book value. That is what a dealer would buy it for. A dealer will likely not pay for a 3 inch diameter copy. But…
If you have this 3 inch diameter copy, the coin is not necessarily worthless. People make large copies of coins for their enjoyment and you may be able to sell it to somebody with this purpose in mind. I actually own coins three inches in diameter similar to yours so I know these copies exist and were sold to people for that very purpose. I own a 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny, a 1913-S Buffalo Nickel, a 1937-D Buffalo Nickel, a 1976 Jefferson Nickel, and a 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar of that variety. On two of the five coins, the word copy is plainly seen on the reverse or tails side. I received them as a gift so I cannot point you to the company that produced them although I suspect a thorough investigative Internet search would do the trick. They hold sentimental value for me which is sometimes worth more than the business price anyway.
Hope I helped.
