Coin values · 90% gold · 1838–1933
$10 gold coin value: Liberty and Indian eagle melt value today
Pre-1933 $10 gold eagles hold 0.4838 troy oz of pure gold (90% gold). There are two designs: the Liberty Head (1838–1907) and the Indian Head (1907–1933). Common dates of both trade a little above melt. At the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold), one coin’s 0.4838 oz of gold was worth $1,901.
$10 gold eagle specifications
| Years struck | Liberty Head 1838–1907; Indian Head 1907–1916, 1920, 1926, 1930, 1932–1933 |
|---|---|
| Designers | Christian Gobrecht (Liberty Head); Augustus Saint-Gaudens (Indian Head) |
| Mints | Liberty Head: Philadelphia, New Orleans (O), San Francisco (S), Carson City (CC), Denver (D, 1906–1907); Indian Head: Philadelphia, Denver (D), San Francisco (S) |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper (and silver in early years) |
| Weight | 16.718 g |
| Diameter | 27 mm; Liberty Head reeded edge, Indian Head edge with raised stars |
| Gold content (AGW) | 0.4838 troy oz |
| Face value | $10 |
| Melt value | $1,901 at the Nov 3, 2026 close ($3,929.23/oz gold); live value above |
Weights, fineness and mintages come from the primary records listed under Sources; melt is computed from the gold or silver content.
$10 gold eagle melt calculator
Melt = pure metal content × recent spot (gold $3,929.23/oz). This is the bullion floor; collectible coins can be worth far more. Federal rules restrict melting only 1¢ and 5¢ coins (31 CFR Part 82; 1942–1945 silver war nickels are exempt). This estimates intrinsic value.
What a $10 gold eagle’s gold has been worth since 1968
A $10 gold eagle held about $18.92 of gold in 1968, peaked near $2,527 in 2026, and its metal is worth $1,901 today. That is melt only; a scarce date or high grade can carry a collector premium on top.
$10 gold eagle melt value by decade
Melt of one coin at each decade’s December close. The peak month was Feb 2026 at $2,527; the low was Jan 1970 at $16.93. Melt has been above the $10.00 face value in every month since 1968, and is now about 190 times face.
| Close | Gold price | Melt per coin |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1970 | $37.38 | $18.08 |
| Dec 1980 | $589.75 | $285 |
| Dec 1990 | $386.20 | $187 |
| Dec 2000 | $274.45 | $133 |
| Dec 2010 | $1,405.50 | $680 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,887.60 | $913 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | $3,929.23 | $1,901 |
Prices: LBMA benchmark history, then Bullion Trading LLC 5 pm ET spot closes (monthly observations).
About the $10 gold eagle
The eagle was the base unit of US gold coinage in the Coinage Act of 1792: the $20 is a “double eagle”, the $5 a “half eagle”. Its gold weight was cut in 1834 and set at 90% fineness in 1837, the standard used until 1933.
Saint-Gaudens’ Indian Head eagle shows Liberty in a feathered headdress. Instead of reeding, its edge has raised stars, one per state: 46 at first, 48 from 1912 after New Mexico and Arizona joined.
Like the $20, early 1907–1908 Indian eagles lacked IN GOD WE TRUST until Congress restored the motto in 1908.
Key dates and mintages
- 1933 Indian $10: 312,500 struck, but nearly all were melted.
- 1907 “wire rim” and “rolled rim” Indian eagles were small first-year issues.
- 1920-S and 1930-S are scarce Indian Head dates.
When is a $10 gold eagle worth more than melt?
Common-date Liberty and Indian eagles in circulated grades trade a modest premium over melt. Branch-mint Liberty coins and the keys above are collector coins; we do not publish collector prices.