Indian Head Gold Eagles

The Indian Head $10 eagle gold coins made from 1907 through 1933 were designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who is perhaps most well known in numismatic circles for designing the namesake $20 gold double eagle gold coin of the same period. The obverse of the Indian Head gold eagle depicts Miss Liberty wearing with an Indian war bonnet, while the reverse shows a stately eagle. The edge of the coin features raised stars; from 1907 through 1911, the edge had 46 stars, corresponding to the number of states in the Union at the time. Two more stars were added to the edge in 1912, when Arizona and New Mexico were admitted to the United States.

Originally, the Indian Head $10 eagle didn’t bear the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. This was changed later in 1908, when IN GOD WE TRUST was added just to the left of the eagle on the reverse. Interestingly, President Theodore Roosevelt was not much a fan of placing God’s name on money. He was concerned that it would disparage the motto because money, as it is sometimes used for immoral or illegal purposes.

Most Indian Head eagles are equally scarce in relation to one another in circulated grades, save for a few issues, and are worth about $1,534 in Very Fine 20 grade. Rare issues include the 1907 wire rim with periods, 1907 rounded rim with periods, 1908-S, 1911-D, 1913-S, 1915-S, 1916-S, 1920-S, 1930-S, and 1933 issues. Each of these coins is extremely scarce, with only a couple dozen or so examples of the 1907 rounded rim with periods and 1933 issues remaining today.