Depicts the figure of Liberty clad in a flowing dress and seated upon a rock. In her left hand, she holds a Liberty pole surmounted by a Phrygian cap, which had been a pre-eminent symbol of freedom during the movement of Neoclassicism (and in fact traces its roots back to Ancient Greece and Rome). Liberty's right hand rested on the top corner of a striped shield with a diagonal banner inscribed with the word "Liberty". The shield represented preparedness in the defense of freedom. The date of the coin appeared on the bottom below Liberty. Thirteen six-pointed stars around the rim, commemorating the original thirteen colonies.

The final design chosen for the denomination was a modification of Christian Gobrecht’s Seated Liberty design, which had been introduced in the late 1830’s and was still found on most silver coins in circulation. For the new twenty cent piece, the design was slightly modified by Chief Engraver William Barber. The obverse still featured the common image of a seated Liberty surrounded by thirteen stars, but with some of the details re-engraved.

Engraver: Christian Gobrecht

A right-facing bald eagle grasping arrows and olive branch. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appeared above, with the denomination TWENTY CENTS below.

The bald eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting. Bald eagles are not actually bald; the name derives from an older meaning of the word, "white headed".

The bald eagle is important in various Native American cultures and, as the national bird of the United States, is prominent in seals and logos, coinage, postage stamps, and other items relating to the U.S. federal government.

The mint mark appears on the reverse beneath the eagle.
• None (Philadelphia Mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• CC (Carson City Mint in Carson City, Nevada)
• S (San Francisco Mint in San Francisco, California)

Engraver: William Barber