1874 Liberty Head $10 Gold Eagle

1874 Liberty Head $10 gold eagles are scarce coins, with relatively few specimens surviving today as compared to the number that were originally produced. These popular old U.S. gold coins were designed by United States Mint Chief Engraver Christian Gobrecht. While he is well known for his role behind Liberty Head eagle gold coins, which were first minted in 1838, he is also widely recognized for designing Seated Liberty coinage. Seated Liberty coins were generally struck from the late 1830s through early 1890s and are considered a classic with numismatists nowadays.

While 1874 $10 gold eagle coins contain 0.4806 ounces of gold, they are much more important as numismatic treasures than simply bullion coins. Here’s a look at the values and mintages of the 1874 Liberty Head gold eagle $10 coin:

• 1874, 53,160; $1,474

• 1874-CC, 16,767; $3,250

• 1874-S, 10,000; $1,923

• 1874 proof, $120,000

*Values are for coins grading Very Fine 20 unless otherwise noted.

The mintage figures above are significantly higher than the number of specimens that remain today, especially in the case of the 1874-CC eagle. As such, 1874-CC gold eagles and all other pre-1933 U.S. gold coins should be considered scarce, and collectors are best advised to buy only certified specimens of these coins. For those who insist on buying “raw,” or unslabbed, 1874 $10 gold eagles, their best bet is to purchase those pieces only from reputable coin dealers.