1896 Liberty Head $10 Gold Eagle

1896 Liberty Head $10 gold eagles were made in somewhat small quantity, leaving relatively few today for coin collectors – a situation exacerbated by the fact that many 1896 gold eagles have been melted or lost due through attrition from heavy circulation. That’s one reason those who seek to buy old gold coins such as the 1896 Liberty Head eagle should buy certified specimens, as many have created counterfeit versions of these pre-1933 U.S. gold coins.

1896 $10 gold eagle coins contain 0.4806 ounces of gold, but are worth much more than their bullion value alone because of their collectible value. Here’s an overview of the mintages and values of the 1896 Liberty Head gold eagles:

• 1896, 76,348 minted; $1,534

• 1896-S, 123,750; $1,600

• 1896 proof; $43,500

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

1896 $10 gold eagle coins were designed by Christian Gobrecht, who served as the third chief engraver of the United States Mint and designed several coins during his tenure at the U.S. Mint. The most popular Gobrecht coin designs, aside from 1896 Liberty Head $10 gold coins, are Seated Liberty coins, which were struck during a time span ranging from the late 1830s to the early 1890s.