Numismatic

1838-1866 $10 Liberty Gold Eagle No Motto VF

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In the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States Mint produced a ten dollar gold piece that remains a captivating study in early American coinage. Minted between 1838 and 1866, this specific variety is distinguished by the absence of the religious motto later found on American currency. Each coin contains 0.4838 troy ounces of gold, struck with a purity of 0.900, representing the robust precious metal standards of the era. The obverse side presents a left-facing portrait of Liberty, her hair bound by a band clearly inscribed with her name. A ring of thirteen stars encircles this central figure, symbolizing the original colonies. On the reverse, a heraldic eagle stands with a protective shield across its chest. The bird holds the traditional symbols of war and peace, surrounded by the legend of the issuing nation, United States of America, and the face value, which is abbreviated as Ten D. These pieces were struck at various national mint locations, which may have included Philadelphia, Carson City, Denver, New Orleans, or San Francisco. Over the decades, many of these circulating gold pieces experienced diverse histories, and surviving specimens in Very Fine condition today might show signs of past cleaning or historical use in jewelry. This design was the work of Christian Gobrecht, whose artistic vision helped define the look of United States gold coinage for generations.