1847 Eagle (1847 $10) NGC MS63 CAC. Mint luster gleams from the devices of this lovely mint state 1847 Eagle. Very light abrasion on both sides keeps this 1847 Eagle coin from a higher mint state grade, which in confirmed by its CAC sticker. The strike is sharp and bold on both sides with every detail clearly observable. A small O is noted at the top of the fourth stripe, perhaps the remnants of a center punch in the die. The eagle of 1847 was of the Coronet Design, No Motto type that was minted from 1838 to 1866. In 1866 the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to a banner above the eagles head. Thus, the 1847 coin is a Type 1 variety.

Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the coin depicts Liberty in profile facing left. She wears a coronet inscribed LIBERTY, and her hair is tied with beads as two curls fall down her neck. She is surrounded by thirteen six-pointed stars with the date below. Dentils are around the coin near the periphery on both sides. The reverse shows a heraldic eagle with wings upright and outstretched. The Union shield is on its breast. In its talons it holds the olive branch and arrows, symbols of peace and preparedness. The denomination, separated by dots, is below, while the required inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is in an arc above, interrupted by the wing tips.

The prior heraldic eagle of 1797 to 1804 had an error in the heraldry. Its designer, Robert Scot, placed the arrows in the eagles right talon and the olive branch in the other. Arrows held in the dexter or more honorable claw is a blunder that shows either poorly timed militarism or lack of ability to understand correct symbolism. With the new design, Gobrecht corrected this mistake and placed the arrows in the eagles left claw.

Gobrecht also added the denomination to the coin written as TEN D. Prior gold eagles had no denomination indicated. Like European coins, they were valued by their weight and fineness.

When he worked as a banknote engraver, Christian Gobrecht invented a machine that enabled one to convert a three-dimensional medal into an illustration. In 1826, he did his first work for the United States Mint as an assistant to William Kneass. When Kneass became ill, Gobrecht took over the responsibility of making dies and patterns. In 1840, he became Chief Engraver. Gobrecht served in that position until his death four years later. He is famous for his Seated Liberty motif that was used on all denominations of silver coinage. He also designed the Liberty Head or Coronet design used on the half cent, cent, the gold quarter eagle, half eagle, and eagle.

Since the 1847 eagle had an original mintage of 862,258, one might think it is an easily available coin. However, most pieces seen today are in circulated condition. Both major grading services have certified a total of 1390 coins in all conditions. In its population report PCGS shows 3 in MS63 with 1 better. NGC has 2 in MS63 with 1 better, and these numbers do not account for resubmissions and crossovers.