Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City in 1858. He was lieutenant colonel of the Rough Riders Regiment during the Spanish-American War and was elected governor of New York in 1898. He became President upon the death of William McKinley in 1901 and served nearly two terms. While President, Roosevelt took an active interest in the design of American coinage, personally commissioning renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to redesign the “double eagle” ($20) gold coin and the $10 Indian head gold eagle. He left office in 1909 but ran again in 1912 on the Progressive (“bull moose”) Party.
Coinage legislation under President Roosevelt
- Act of June 28, 1902: Authorized the coinage of gold dollars, now known as the Louisiana Exposition gold dollar
- Act of April 13, 1904: Authorized the coinage of gold dollars, now known as the Lewis and Clark Exposition gold dollar
