$10 Gold Turban, Coronet, and Indian Head Gold Coins

Among the first tow American gold coins to be struck was the eagle, or $10 gold piece in 1795, and it was George Washington himself who received the first gold coin example.  Its first obverse features a bust of Liberty by Robert Scot, wearing a tall conical cap, traditionally, but inaccurately referred to by numismatists as a turban.   Originally, this was paired with a reverse design featuring a skinny eagle similar to that on the first silver dollars, but instead of standing withing a wreath, it is seen holding one above its head. 

As with the other denominations, this was replaced by a plumper heraldic eagle bearing a shield on its chest, which later was featured on all denominations other than copper.  All these early eagles were struck on a primitive screw press with hand-engraved dies, no two of which were identical.  Many will show evidence of adjustment marks, a scraping of metal from the blank before striking to prevent the coin from being overweight.  While not desirable, they are not considered to be damaged, as they are part of the manufacturing process.

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The initial issue of 1795-1804 was plagued by mass melting and wholesale export, being undervalued relative to its gold content, particularly by European standards.  As a result, its coinage was completely suspended for more than 30 years.  It was reintroduced in 1838 on the reduced gold standard adopted in 1834 to prevent these abuses.  The new gold eagle featured a Liberty head wearing a coronet, being Christian Gobrecht's interpretation of a painting of Venus by Benjamin West.  A new, more realistic reverse eagle still wore a heraldic shield.  This design continued in use until 1907, the motto being replaced over the eagle in 1866.

In 1908, as part of the same coin design beautification trend that later introduced the Walking Liberty half dollar and Mercury dime, noted sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens was asked to prepare new designs for the eagle and double eagle by President Theodore Roosevelt.  His work showed the head of Liberty wearing an Indian war bonnet, the headdress being added to Saint-Gauden's head originally designed as Victory at the President's instruction.  The reverse featured a proud eagle with closed wings. 

As Roosevelt believed the use of the motto "In God We Trust" on coninage to be a debased use of the divine name, it was omitted from the initial issues.  This upset Congress so much that a law was enaacted that retored it during 1908.