1856 Liberty Head $10 Gold Eagle

1856 Liberty Head $10 gold eagles are generally regarded as scarce coins since relatively few pieces were originally made. These classic U.S. gold coins were designed by Christian Gobrecht, who served as the third chief engraver of the United States Mint. In addition to creating the design on 1856 Liberty Head eagles coins, Gobrecht also designed Seated Liberty coinage, which was made generally from the late 1830s through early 1890s and remains popular with numismatists nowadays.

1856 $10 gold eagle coins contain 0.4806 ounces of gold. While these coins are valued for their intrinsic gold content, they are also highly prized as numismatic collectibles and are worth considerably more than their gold value alone. Here’s a look at the 1856 Liberty Head gold eagle $10 coin mintage figures and values:

• 1856, 60,490 minted; $1,494

• 1856-O, 14,500; $1,792

• 1856-S, 68,000; $1,494

*Values are for coins grading Very Fine 20.

The mintage figures listed above cannot be considered reliable indications of how many 1856 gold eagle coins exist today, as many of these pieces have been melted or otherwise damaged beyond recognition due to heavy circulation. This is a rather common situation with many pre-1933 U.S. gold coins, due to melting and loss through heavy circulation. Because of the overall scarceness of many pre-1933 U.S. gold coins, such as 1856 $10 eagles, it’s recommended that they are purchased as certified pieces from reputable third-party coin grading firms.