Liberty Head $10

The Liberty Head $10 moves from Gobrecht's short Old Style portrait to the long New Style No Motto and With Motto reverses across five mints.

This guide covers 1838–1907 and preserves three catalog types and three modeled overdate or date-punch varieties.

Core specifications

Issue period

1838–1907

Catalog mints

5

Reported catalog mintage

42,686,932

Composition

90% Gold - 10% Copper

Diameter

27 mm

Weight

16.72 g

The eagle returns under a new gold standard

After more than three decades without regular eagles, the denomination returned in 1838 under the revised gold standard.

Portrait refinement, branch-mint expansion, Civil War disruption, and the 1866 motto addition divide the long series into clear collecting eras.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

A coroneted Liberty faces left; the 1838–1839 Old Style differs in portrait and lettering from the New Style used thereafter.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

An eagle and shield appear without a motto until 1866; the later type adds IN GOD WE TRUST above.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

• P — Philadelphia: 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907; 25,664,859. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
• S — San Francisco: 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907; 12,350,206. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• O — New Orleans: 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1888, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1906; 2,361,089. Confirm the O mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• D — Denver: 1906, 1907; 2,011,000. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
• CC — Carson City: 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893; 299,778. Confirm the CC mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

Start with the three major types, then choose a mint or historical era before attempting a complete date-and-mint set.

• 1838 P — 7,200. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1875 P — 120. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1883 O — 800. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
• 1907 P — 1,203,973. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 3 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 3 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

From one type coin to a complete catalog

• One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
• Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
• Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
• Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 183 issue records, 3 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

1. The Evolution of Liberty on U.S. Coins — United States Mint
2. Gold Eagle Coins and Their History — United States Mint
3. Liberty Head $10 category reference — PCGS CoinFacts