1839 $10 Liberty Gold Eagle Small Letters NCC AU53

1839 $10 Gold Liberty Head Eagle Small Letters NGC AU53 – Rarely Seen, Undervalued First-Type Eagle

• Date: 1839
• Denomination: $10 Eagle
• Type: Liberty Head, Small Letters Reverse
• Grade: AU53
• Grading Service: NGC
• NGC Population: 5 in AU53, 13 finer (highest AU58)
• Metal Content: 0.4838 troy oz
• Fineness: .900 gold
• Diameter: 27 mm
• Mintage: 12,447

The 1839 Small Letters $10 Liberty Head Eagle, graded AU53 by NGC, is a cornerstone of early U.S. gold numismatics. As the second year of issue for the Liberty Head eagle series—and the first with Christian Gobrecht’s refined design—the Small Letters subtype is far scarcer than its Large Letters counterpart, with a total mintage of only 12,447 coins. Today, PCGS CoinFacts estimates a mere 50–60 survivors across all grades, with the vast majority in VF to EF and just two examples known in Mint State (MS64 and MS62).

This particular specimen boasts a pleasing medium-gold tone, with noticeable luster in the protected areas and crisp definition in Liberty’s hair and facial features. The coin presents excellent surface integrity and strong strike detail, with light obverse die cracks adding historic character.

Leading experts such as Walter Breen have called the issue “prohibitively rare in AU,” and David Akers referred to it as “very rare in any condition.” The NGC population report confirms the scarcity, with only 5 coins graded AU53 and just 13 finer—none higher than AU58. Even the Smithsonian Institution holds only an AU55 example, putting this coin among the finest privately available.