Eagle (US Coin)

The issue of a gold coin of 10 dollars was registered in the 1792 coin act. However, the first coin was minted only a few years later in 1795. Engraver Robert Scott used as a model for the depiction of Liberty on the obverse, the portrait of Anna Willing Bingham, considered one of the most beautiful women in the United States , by the famous painter Gilbert Stuart ^[1] . At the same time, unlike silver coins, on gold, Freedom was in the fashionable at the time in the USA style of a female hat, similar to a turban. Hence the coin got its name Turban Head Eagle ^[2] .

According to the monetary act of 1792, the price ratio of gold and silver was 1 to 15. However, due to events in Europe , the price of gold relative to silver increased. As a result, most gold coins of this type were melted down for speculative purposes. In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson ordered to stop minting coins of $ 10. Again, their embossing was resumed only more than 30 years later in 1838 ^[3] .

A new type of coin - 10 dollars with the image of Liberty - was minted for a very long time - from 1838 to 1907. At the end of the American Civil War, due to the exacerbated religious feelings of many Americans who lost relatives or were tired of military deprivation, on March 3, 1865, a law was passed, according to which all silver coins of more than 10 cents and gold over $ 3 should contain the motto IN GOD WE TRUST ” ^[4] . Since 1866, a ribbon with a corresponding inscription appeared on the reverse of the coin above the image of the eagle.

Since 1907, 10 dollars with the image of an Indian are being produced. The new design of the coin was developed on the personal instructions of the 26th US President Theodore Roosevelt by the famous American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens . The first minted coins were distinguished by high image relief and the absence of the slogan “ IN GOD WE TRUST ”. The release of "godless" coins was deliberate, since Roosevelt considered the mention of the word "GOD" on coins to be blasphemy . However, the premise of the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on gold coins of more than 3 dollars was determined by the coin act of 1864. Several members of Congress have insisted on the termination of the release of "godless" coins ^{[5] [6]} .

The designer of the Saint-Gaudens coin design died in 1907. Another engraver, Charles Barber, introduced a number of changes. The image on the coin became less prominent, the words “IN GOD WE TRUST” appeared on the coin ^[6] .

In 1933, due to the economic crisis called the Great Depression , the United States was forced to abandon the gold coin standard ^[7] . Gold coins were to be taken out of circulation and remelted. Minted earlier copies were melted down.