Intelligence Squared The Specialist | The Coin Worth More Than Its Weight in Gold, with Selby Kiffer and David Tripp
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Mar 28, 2026 
David Tripp, former Sotheby's coin director and leading expert on the 1933 Double Eagle. Selby Kiffer, Sotheby's manuscripts specialist with deep Americana expertise. They trace the coin’s creation under FDR, theft and early leakage, King Farouk’s role, the Waldorf sting and Sotheby’s sale, later discoveries and long litigation. The story reads like a high-stakes treasure hunt.
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The Coin's Design And 1933 Minting Story
- Selby Kiffer recounts the Double Eagle design and 1933 context, describing Lady Liberty by Augustus St. Gaudens and the coin's striking during the Depression.
- He explains the mint produced 445,500 coins after Roosevelt outlawed private gold ownership, then most were melted but some were stolen by a mint employee.
How Coins Escaped And Entered King Farouk's Collection
- Selby Kiffer tells how most 1933 Double Eagles were ordered melted, but an unscrupulous Mint employee removed around 25 coins.
- One coin legally entered King Farouk's collection after he obtained a Treasury export license, then later vanished after his overthrow.
The Waldorf Sting And The First Auction Sale
- Selby Kiffer recounts the 1996 sting where dealer Stephen Fenton tried to sell the coin at the Waldorf Astoria and was arrested after an FBI setup.
- The government then agreed to sell that one coin and share proceeds with Fenton, leading to a high-profile Sotheby's auction.