 In 1904 , President Theodore Roosevelt wrote to his Secretary of the Treasury , Leslie Mortier Shaw , complaining that U.S. coinage lacked artistic merit , and enquiring if it would be possible to engage a private artist , such as sculptor Augustus Saint @-@ Gaudens , to prepare new coin designs . At Roosevelt 's instructions , the Mint hired Saint @-@ Gaudens to redesign the cent and the four gold pieces : the double eagle ( $ 20 ) , eagle ( $ 10 ) , half eagle ( $ 5 ) , and quarter eagle ( $ 2 @.@ 50 ) . As the designs of those pieces had remained the same for 25 years , they could be changed without an act of Congress . The Indian Head cent , which the Lincoln cent replaced , had been introduced in 1859 . 
