1908-D $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle PCGS MS62

Introduction

The 1908-D $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle With Motto graded PCGS MS62 is a Mint State example from an important transitional year in one of America's most distinctive gold coin series. Designed by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and struck at the Denver Mint in .900 fine gold, this coin contains nearly half a troy ounce of pure gold. Certified MS62 by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), it combines original Mint State preservation with the history and artistry of classic pre-1933 U.S. gold.

History

The Indian Head Eagle was introduced in 1907 as part of President Theodore Roosevelt's effort to elevate the artistic quality of American coinage. Roosevelt collaborated with Augustus Saint-Gaudens on new designs for the $10 Eagle and $20 Double Eagle, resulting in two of the most recognizable gold coin designs in United States history.

The year 1908 was an important transitional period for the Indian Head Eagle. Early coins were struck without the motto IN GOD WE TRUST, but Congress mandated its restoration later that year. The Denver Mint struck 836,500 With Motto $10 Indian Head Eagles in 1908. This variety represents the first year the motto appeared on the Indian Head Eagle design and can be distinguished from the earlier 1908-D No Motto issue by the inscription positioned to the left of the eagle on the reverse.

Design

The obverse features Saint-Gaudens' left-facing portrait of Liberty wearing a Native American feathered headdress inscribed with LIBERTY. Thirteen stars representing the original states appear above the portrait, while the date 1908 appears below.

The reverse depicts a bald eagle standing on a bundle of arrows with an olive branch intertwined below. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, IN GOD WE TRUST, and TEN DOLLARS complete the design. The D mintmark identifies production at the Denver Mint.