1843-O Gold Eagle - 1843-O $10 NGC AU58. Fresh, pretty slider. Scarce in Mint State. This scarce, near-Mint State, Southern branch mint eagle has subdued remaining luster within its devices. The coin, which is a fresh, pretty slider, has yellow and greenish-gold colors that affirm the coins originality. The surfaces are clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other problems. The coin was originally well struck with full details still remaining on the centers of the stars, the eagles neck, and the area to the lower left of the shield. Although pre-Civil War branch mint coins were often poorly struck, that was clearly not the case with the present piece.

The Liberty Head eagle was designed by Christian Gobrecht. It eagle shows Liberty facing left in profile wearing a LIBERTY inscribed coronet with her hair tied in the back in beads. Two long curls hang down her neck, one in the back and the other on the side. She is surrounded with thirteen six-pointed stars. The date is below the truncation, which shows no drapery. The motif is taken from a Benjamin West painting of Venus. It was also used with modifications for the Large Cents of 1839. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with outstretched wing looking to the left. On its chest is the Union shield. In its talons it holds the olive branch and arrows. The error in the previous issue, Scots eagle held the arrows and the olive branches in the wrong talons, is corrected. Except for being interrupted by the tips of the eagles wings UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the reverse, separated from the denomination TEN D. by dots. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin, and the edge is reeded.

During the first two years of production, the First Head had Large Letters with it. It continued in use until June 1839 and is sometimes called the Head of 1838. Later in the year the head was redesigned, made smaller, and the letters were smaller too. This one is sometimes called the New Portrait, Small Letters or Second Head, Small Letters.

The New Orleans Mint was authorized in 1835 by President Andrew Jackson, hero of the battle of New Orleans. The bill that Jackson signed also authorized the mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega. William Strickland, a Philadelphia architect designed all three branch mint buildings. The New Orleans Mint building was made in the solid, bulky Greek Revival style of architecture. It was the largest of the three branch mints and located at major port of entry. Unfortunately Strickland did not account for the soft ground around the site. Because of it, the building had to undergo numerous repairs throughout its history.

NGCs population report shows only 9 coins certified higher than the present 1843-O eagle in About Uncirculated 58 condition.