1907
Eagle Indian - 1932 Eagle Indian: Set of Two Indian Head Gold
Eagles
The
numismatic adventure can be enriched by acquiring groups of
coins in meaningful combinations. Sets of coins can run from
two pieces to many. In the areas of rare date and early silver
and gold coins we have established certain sets of special
interest. They include the first and last of an issue, type
sets, design sets, year sets, and those that are joined by
historical events such as the Civil War. The coins of each
set are specially selected for you and your collecting needs.
We are specialists in this
area and will expertly and confidentially help you assemble
a set similar to the one you see below, which is made up of
pieces from the US Rare Coin Investments’ archives.
We will cherry pick through millions of dollars of rare coins
selecting only the finest quality pieces for your collection.
A Set of First and
Last Eagles, Indian Head 1907 and 1932
The 1907 Indian Head eagle
was a dramatic departure from the ten dollar coins that
preceded it. The new design was minted from 1907 to 1916
and intermittently in the 1920s and 1930s. A large number
of the 1933 coins were melted before they were issued, and
the remaining coins are virtually unobtainable today.
Designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens,
the obverse shows a close up profile of a head of Liberty
facing left. Above her unrealistic war bonnet are thirteen
stars in an arc. Below the truncation is the date. The origin
of the profile is Saint-Gaudens’ own statue of Nike
which is part of his memorial to General Sherman and can
still be seen at the southern entrance to Central Park in
New York City. Alice Butler was the model for the sculpture.
Originally Saint-Gaudens wanted to place a wreath on Liberty’s
head, but President Roosevelt insisted that it be a feathered
war bonnet to give the coin a more nationalistic appeal.
(Roosevelt also asked Saint-Gaudens to switch the designs
of the eagle and double eagle coins. He felt that the close
profile was more suited to an eagle size coin and that the
striding figure of Liberty was better on the double eagle.)
The reverse of Saint-Gaudens’
Indian Head Eagle shows a powerful standing eagle that is
suggestive of Egyptian art. It shows the eagle standing
on a bundle of arrows that resemble fasces. In Roman iconography,
fasces symbolized the power to kill or the power of life
and death. Held on top of the arrows by the eagle’s
talon is the olive branch, the traditional symbol of peace.
Above the eagle’s head is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
and in the right field is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The
denomination TEN DOLLARS is below. On its edge, the coin
has forty-six raised stars.
Roosevelt, a deeply religious
man, felt that it was blasphemous to have God’s name
on a coin. Coins were used for gambling, prostitution, hiring
assassins, and worse. So he asked Saint-Gaudens to omit
the motto “In God We Trust.”
There are two main types of Indian Head Eagles. The first
is the No Motto or Type 1, which has a few varieties, with
and without wire rims (also called rounded rims), periods
before and after the motto, and a no periods variety. The
second type has the motto IN GOD WE TRUST added to the reverse
left field. The coins of this type were minted mid 1908
to the end of the series in 1933.
1907
Eagle Indian - In this set, the first
year of issue is represented by a 1907 No Periods
Type 1 piece. Is shows changes made by Mint Engraver
Charles Barber. Periods on the reverse were removed,
and the ends of the feathers were made stronger. The
central portion of both sides were made weaker.
Satiny mint luster exudes from the
surfaces of this delightful 1907 eagle. It is the
first year of the historic “No Motto”
variety. The few contact marks, which are actually
too trivial to describe, probably keep the coin from
grading a point or two higher. Unlike most 1907 eagles,
the reverse of this coin is fully struck. The slight
weakness in the center of the obverse is less than
typical for the date.
1932
Eagle Indian - The final collectible
year of the series is 1932. With a mintage of over
four million, the 1932 eagle, a Type 2 coin, is the
most common of the series; many are available in Mint
State grades.
Full cartwheel luster dances off the
surfaces of this gem Indian Head 1932 eagle. The delicate
surfaces are original, clean, and, for the grade,
free of distracting marks worthy of individual mention;
of course, no wear is seen on either side of this
attractive piece. The strike is above average with
full details on most of the feather vanes, Liberty’s
hair, and the eagle’s feathers.
