$10.00 Eagles (Liberty 1838-1907)

$10 Liberty Gold Eagles at BGASC

For much of the nation’s history, the longest-used single design set in American coining history is the Liberty portrait on the $10 Liberty Gold Eagle coin. Introduced in 1838, this design was struck on the $10 Eagle for a remarkable 70 years with the same two primary designs on the obverse and reverse. Only the modern Washington Quarter has had a longer run with the same two primary designs, and the Lincoln Penny has gone even longer with its singular portrait of President Abraham Lincoln.

Debut

The Liberty Gold Eagle saw a great deal of change in American history. The design of the Liberty Gold Eagle was created in 1838 by Christian Gobrecht, the 3rd Chief Engraver of the United States Mint. Gobrecht’s design features a left-profile bust of Liberty’s head with a coronet crown in her hair and a ring of 13 stars around the field. The date mark of each coin is at the bottom of the field. The reverse includes the heraldic eagle with the bald eagle supporting the US national shield as it clutches the arrows of war and the olive branch of peace. 

When the Liberty Gold Eagle debuted in 1838, Martin Van Buren was serving as the 8th President of the United States and the nation was much smaller than it would eventually become. The Liberty Gold Eagle was in production annually as the United States experienced the California Gold Rush and the Mexican-American War in the 1840s, while the US Civil War raged in the 1860s, circulated throughout Reconstruction in the 1870s, saw the Industrial Revolution come to America and marveled in the Gilded Age.

Design Modification History

The $10 Liberty Gold Eagle saw relatively little change in its history, an amazing feat for a coin that was in production for 70 years. One modification of note for the $10 Gold Eagle as a whole, a change that took effect with the 1838 debut of the $10 Liberty Gold Eagle, was a reduction in the diameter of the coins. In 1795, the coin debuted with a diameter of 33 millimeters, but the 1838 debut of the Liberty Gold Eagle design series saw a reduction in diameter to 27 millimeters.

When it comes to the design, the images of Liberty and the heraldic eagle did not change over the course of time. However, there was one addition to the design element. Following the Civil War, the decision was made to add the national motto of IN GOD WE TRUST to various denominations of American coinage. In 1866, this motto was added as an inscription above the head of the eagle on the reverse.

Certified $10 Liberty Gold Eagles

Many of the remaining $10 Liberty Gold Eagles have a certification of some level from the Professional Coin Grading Service or Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. While these coins have Mint State certifications, few rise above the level of MS64 or MS65. 

Collect $10 Liberty Gold Eagles from BGASC

We encourage customers to contact BGASC at 888-992-4272 with any questions about $10 Liberty Gold Eagles. Additionally, you can chat with us online or email us directly with any questions.