Q.David Bowers
All half eagles 1795-1834 are rare, Particularly notable are the 1798 small eagle, 1815, 1822 (just three are known, two of which are in the Smithsonian Institution), both varieties of 1829 (large and small date), and 1832 with 12 obverse stars. In addition, various overdates and die cutting errors are very elusive.
Following the reduction of weight which became effective August 1, 1834, the half eagle was changed to William Kneass' classic head type, a style which was continued through 1838. In 1839 the Liberty head or coronet type with braided hair, designed by Christian Gobrecht, made its appearance. This was continued through 1908. In 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse.
In 1908 Bela Lyon Pratt's incuse design, following the same motif used on the quarter eagles, was adopted. This style was continued through 1929. Half eagles of the Indian type were minted from 1908 through 1916 and then finally in 1929. Apparently most of the 662,000 pieces struck in the last year of coinage did not circulate but were later melted. Today 1929 is a rarity.
Eagles (1795-1933)
The first $10 gold piece struck at the Philadelphia Mint was presented in 1795 by Director Henry William de Saussure to President Washington, by whom he had been appointed to the office as second director of the Mint (following Rittenhouse). Half eagles of the 1795-1797 style bore Robert Scot's capped bust to right design on the obverse and an eagle perched on an olive branch and holding a wreath aloft in its beak on the reverse.
Beginning with pieces dated 1797 the large heraldic eagle reverse was employed. This design was minted through 1804. Coinage was suspended in the latter year for by that time $10 pieces did not circulate. Most went into the hands of bullion dealers and speculators who exported or melted them.
In 1838 eagle production was resumed. Gobrecht's Liberty head or coronet type with braided hair was employed. This design was continued through 1907. In 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to the reverse.
In 1907 the Liberty head style was replaced by an Indian head motif design by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's most prominent sculptors. As President Theodore Roosevelt objected to the name of the Diety on coinage, considering that it came close to sacrilege, IN GOD WE TRUST was omitted from the Indian eagles of 1907 and many produced in 1908. In the latter year Congress restored the motto. Several rare or experimental varieties were produced in 1907, including the so-called "wire edge" variety which possessed a sharp rim and had periods before and after the E PLURIBUS UNUM motto. Just 500 pieces were struck. Of the same variety but with rounded rim, only 42 were struck. Subsequent pieces made for circulation lacked the periods indicated.
Indian head eagles were struck intermittently until 1933.
Among $10 issues there are many rarities, including all issues 1795-1804 (considered particularly rare is 1798/7 with 7 stars to the left on the obverse and 6 to the right), 1858, 1875, the aforementioned 1907 limited issues, 1920-S, 1930-S, and 1933. Proofs of all years are exceedingly rare. Although several dozen gold Proofs were minted of many different 19th-century issues, various numismatists believe that many were never distributed. As early as the 1880s such professionals as W. Elliot Woodward and Ed. Frossard considered Proof gold coins of the 1860s and early 1870s to be major rarities.
Double Eagles (1849-1933)
Following experimentation by James B. Longacre, several $20 pieces were produced in 1849. Only one example survives today of the initial coinage, the piece exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. In the following year, 1850, double eagles were first struck for circulation. The obverse design, which was continued through 1907, featured the head of Liberty with a coronet. The reverse, which showed an eagle with various embellishments, was modified several times. Beginning in 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added. Beginning in 1877 the denomination, previously expressed as TWENTY D., was changed to TWENTY DOLLARS. In 1861 a new reverse, similar to the regular reverse but with tall letters in the inscription, designed by Anthony C. Paquet, was used for a short time. It was learned that the style caused excessive die breakage along the rim, so it was withdrawn, but not before at least several specimens were struck at Philadelphia and thousands at San Francisco.
Among double eagles of the Liberty head type there are many rarities, including 1854-0, 1856-O, the Paquet issues of 1861, and all Proofs. 1883, 1884, and 1887 Proofs are especially desired as no additional Philadelphia Mint coins were struck for circulation in those years.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's most prominent sculptors, was part of a Mint committee in 1890 which considered coinage designs submitted by public competition. In 1892 he combined his talents with those of Charles E. Barber to design a medal for Double Eagles (1849-1933)
Following experimentation by James B. Longacre, several $20 pieces were produced in 1849. Only one example survives today of the initial coinage, the piece exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. In the following year, 1850, double eagles were first struck for circulation. The obverse design, which was continued through 1907, featured the head of Liberty with a coronet. The reverse, which showed an eagle with various embellishments, was modified several times. Beginning in 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added. Beginning in 1877 the denomination, previously expressed as TWENTY D., was changed to TWENTY DOLLARS. In 1861 a new reverse, similar to the regular reverse but with tall letters in the inscription, designed by Anthony C. Paquet, was used for a short time. It was learned that the style caused excessive die breakage along the rim, so it was withdrawn, but not before at least several specimens were struck at Philadelphia and thousands at San Francisco.
Among double eagles of the Liberty head type there are many rarities, including 1854-0, 1856-0, the Paquet issues of 1861, and all Proofs. 1883, 1884, and 1887 Proofs are especially desired as no additional Philadelphia Mint coins were struck for circulation in those years.
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's most prominent sculptors, was part of a Mint committee in 1890 which considered coinage designs submitted by public competition. In 1892 he combined his talents with those of Charles E. Barber to design a medal for the Columbian exposition, with Saint-Gaudens' work appearing on the obverse and Barber's on the reverse. The combination with Barber's work apparently was against his wishes, for as Don Taxay notes in his monumental reference, The United States Mint and Coinage, the sculptor avoided the Mint from that time onward until 1905.