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HISTORY
Christian Gobrecht designed the $10 Gold Eagle, also known as Coronet or Liberty Type, minted from 1838 to 1907. The original design displayed Miss Liberty on the obverse with the word Liberty on the Coronet and the spread-winged Eagle on the reverse; this was the No Motto Type minted from 1838-1866. The succeeding With Motto Liberty design began in 1866 and was produced through 1907. This type added the Motto "In God We Trust" above the Eagle on the reverse. This series can be especially challenging to a collector because there are so many rare dates. There are well over forty issues with original mintages under 10,000 coins and quite a few of those are under 5,000. Many dates are relatively scarce above AU condition and some even unknown in Mint State. A few of the more notable rarities include the 1858, 1860 S, 1864 S, 1870 CC, 1875, 1879 CC, and 1883 O.
MINTS
There were five Mints used to produce the $10 Liberty: Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City, and Denver. Philadelphia minted coins from 1838 to 1907. New Orleans issued coins in 1841-60, and again in 1879-83, 88, 92-95, 97, 99, 1901, 03-04, and 1906. San Francisco struck coins beginning in 1854-74, 76-89, 92-1903, 1905-07. Carson City issued coins in 1870-84, 90-93. Denver got into the venture very late and minted coins only in 1906 and 1907.
TERMINOLOGY
Eagle - Official terminology of the $10 Liberty Gold piece. The eagle and the dollar were the basis of the U.S. currency system up until the early 1970s. Other denominations were established based on the $10 eagle: Half-Eagle, Double-Eagle, and Quarter-Eagle.
Without Motto/With Motto - The Ten Dollar Liberty was originally minted without the Motto on the reverse from 1838 to 1866 and known as the No Motto. The With Motto Type was first minted in 1866 with "In God We Trust" added to the reverse just above the Eagle.
RECOMMENDED REFERENCES
Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, by Walter Breen
Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, by John Dannreuther
Buyer's Guide to United States Gold Coins, by Q. David Bowers
Photograde, by James F. Ruddy
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Series
$10 Liberty Gold
Series Run
1838-1907
Designer
Christian Gobrecht
Weight
16.718 grams
Net Weight
.48375 ounces pure gold
Composition
.900 gold
.100 copper
Diameter
27 millimeters
Edge
Reeded Edge
Mints
Philadelphia, New Orleans, Carson City, Denver, San Francisco
Mink Mark Location
reverse below eagle
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