1898-S Gold Eagle - 1898-S $10 NGC MS63. This Mint State,Western branch mint 1898-S Eagle is tied for second finest at NGC. This 1898-S Eagle coin shows bright mint luster on both surfaces, which are original and somewhat reflective. This 1898-S Eagle is well struck with full details seen on the centers of the stars, Libertys hair, and the area to the lower left of the shield. Scattered, light abrasion marks keep this 1898-S Eagle coin from a higher Mint State grade; none of the marks is worthy of individual mention.

Christian Gobrecht designed the Liberty Head eagle. It 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 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 Gobrechts Coronet eagle Liberty, Head No Motto coin, and the edge is reeded.

The Type 2 eagle was created when the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added to a banner designed by James B. Longacre above the eagle in 1866. The change was made in response to pressure organized by the Reverend M.R. Watkinson. The motto remained until 1907, when President Theodore Roosevelt told Augustus Saint-Gaudens to omit it on the newly designed eagle.

While many 1898-S eagles were found to have returned from Europe, choice examples in Uncirculated condition are elusive. In its population report, NGC shows 20 in MS63 with 2 better.