1861-S $10 Liberty Head Eagle NGC AU55

Less than 100 examples of this Civil War issue have survived!

Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth explain in their Gold Encyclopedia: "The 1861-S issue is one tough eagle that is at least twice as rare as the 1860-O eagle, which shares an almost identical mintage."

David Bowers reports in his A Guide Book of Gold Eagle Coins that 70 to 90 pieces exist in all from a mintage of 15,500 coins. While those in XF or lower are collectible, examples in the grade being offered by AUCM—AU55—are seldom offered. NGC has graded 24 as AU55 with 16 finer. Collectors Universe gives this rare issue a price of $23,500.00 in AU55.

Few, if any, of the 1861-S tens were saved, and only a single piece is certified as Mint State by NGC (MS61). In fact, the 1861-S is rare in all grades. Writes Heritage Auctions, “The 15,500-piece 1861-S ten dollar is not usually seen above the XF level of preservation, as AU coins are scarce to rare, and Uncirculated examples are nearly unknown.” Unlike coins struck at the Eastern mints in 1861, the San Francisco Mint gold coinage in fact entered circulation, and a majority of survivors are well worn.

Christian Gobrecht, who designed the Liberty head on the Eagle and other gold coins. Image: Wikimedia Commons.