Eagle (coin)
Eagle ( Engl. "Eagle") is the name of a US gold coin with a nominal value of 10 dollars . The coin was minted as official tender from 1795 to 1933.
In 1785 the US Board of the Treasury proposed coin names for the newly created dollar, the dollar . The name Eagle was provided for the 10 dollar coin . After years of preparation, in which, among other things, an own mint, the US Mint , was founded, the first own coins were minted from 1792 and finally the first Eagles in 1795 . The first eagle showed a woman's portrait in profile (the Liberty ) on the front (obverse) and the heraldic animal of the USA, the bald eagle, on the back (lapel). The weight was 270 grains (17.5 grams) and the diameter was about 33 millimeters.
The names of smaller coins also refer to the eagle . The 5-dollar coin was called Half Eagle ("half eagle") and a 2½ dollar coin was called Quarter Eagle ("quarter eagle"). In 1849 the Double Eagle , valued at $ 20, was introduced. The Double Eagle from 1933 with a sales revenue of 7.6 million dollars since 2002 most valuable coin because of it, only a single copy in the free trade exists. Minting 5 and 10 eagle pieces was also considered during the California gold rush . Trial copies were made and presented to Congress , which decided against these coins because, in his opinion, 50 or 100 dollar coins would represent too large a quantity of money for the general public, and so the coins mainly for transactions between banks and others Financial institutions would have been used.
American Eagle bullion coin
The US Mint has been minting Eagles again since 1986 , but not as currency coins for payment transactions, but as collector's items and investments ( investment coins ). These coins are traded under the name American Eagle and are available in silver (see Silver Eagle ), gold ( Gold Eagle ) and platinum ( Platinum Eagle ).
The Eagles from 1795 to 1933
| image | front | back | Years | Mint | Weight fineness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman head | Small bald eagle with branch in its beak | 1795-1798 | Philadelphia | 17.50 g 16.05 g |
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| Woman head | Large bald eagle with breastplate and 13 stars | 1795-1804 | Philadelphia | 17.50 g 16.05 g |
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| Woman head | Bald eagle with breastplate and branch | 1838-1866 | Philadelphia, New Orleans , San Francisco | 16.718 g 15.046 g |
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Woman head | Bald eagle with breastplate, branch and motto | 1866-1907 | Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carson City , Denver | 16.718 g 15.046 g |
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Indian head | Bald eagle | 1908-1933 | Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver | 16.718 g 15.046 g |
