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10 Dollars Liberty Cap / Small Eagle
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1795-1797 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 17.5 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A small, naturalistic American eagle displayed with wings spread upward, perched on a palm branch. The eagle holds an olive branch in its beak, surmounted by a large open laurel wreath that arcs over the bird's head, a design derived from classical heraldic imagery. The circular legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs around the periphery, and the entire composition is framed by a finely struck denticulated border. This Small Eagle reverse type, sometimes called the 'Capped Bust' reverse, was used only from 1795 to 1797 before being replaced by the Heraldic Eagle design. |
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| Reverse lettering | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
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| Additional information |
The Mint Act of 1792 authorized the eagle as America's highest gold denomination, but production didn't begin until 1795 — delayed partly by the difficulty of procuring sufficient gold bullion and partly by the sheer organizational chaos of standing up a functioning mint in Philadelphia from nothing. Robert Scot's small eagle reverse was abandoned after 1797 in favor of a heraldic eagle, making this a short-lived type by any measure.
Depositors brought their own gold to the Mint and received coins in return, meaning surviving examples can vary noticeably in die alignment and surface character depending on the bullion source.