Numismatic

1851-O $10 Liberty Gold Eagle AU-50 NGC

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In 1851, the United States Mint in New Orleans struck a run of ten-dollar gold coins, producing a total of 263,000 pieces. These substantial gold issues, often called Eagles, were composed of 90 percent gold and contained 0.4838 troy ounces of the precious metal. Today, surviving examples from this southern mint offer a tangible look at mid-nineteenth-century American coinage. The obverse features a classic profile of Liberty, her hair styled in a neat bun secured by a string of beads, with curls cascading down her neck. She wears a coronet inscribed with her name. Thirteen stars encircle her portrait, representing the original colonies, with the date 1851 anchored at the bottom. The reverse displays a heraldic eagle with a shield across its breast, grasping an olive branch and arrows in its talons. Surrounding the central design is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, along with the denomination TEN D. below. Just beneath the eagle, the distinctive 'O' mint mark identifies this piece as a product of the New Orleans facility, adding a layer of geographic intrigue for those exploring early American branch mint coinage.