Numismatic

1889-S $10 Liberty Gold Eagle AU

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The year 1889 saw the production of this ten-dollar gold coin at the San Francisco Mint. Bearing the 'S' mint mark, this piece is part of a series struck between 1838 to 1907. It contains 0.4838 troy ounces of gold, minted with a purity of 0.900. While the original mintage for this specific date and mint combination was 425,400, many of these coins were melted down in subsequent decades, making surviving specimens particularly intriguing to study. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the obverse of the coin features a left-facing portrait of Liberty. Her hair is bound by a band clearly inscribed with the word 'LIBERTY', and thirteen stars encircle her profile to represent the original colonies. The year 1889 is anchored at the bottom of the design. The reverse displays a classic heraldic eagle, which holds a shield across its breast. The eagle is surrounded by the legend 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' along with the denomination 'TEN D.' at the bottom. This particular coin survives in Almost Uncirculated condition, offering a remarkably clear window into late nineteenth-century American coinage.