1851-O $10 Liberty Head Eagle NGC AU58

This issue is the second most common No Motto $10 Eagle from the New Orleans Mint, behind only the 1847-O. However, it is much more of a rarity in higher grades than many collectors realize. The 1851-O is common in VF and XF grades and slightly scarce in the AU grades and rare in uncirculated grades. NGC has graded 154 as AU58 with 22 finer.

A scale for weighing coinage such as the 1851-O Liberty head eagle used at the New Orleans Mint in the 19th century.

This is a quality made issue. After a time when properly striking Eagles seemed to be a challenge for the officers and workers at the New Orleans Mint, the quality dramatically improved in 1851. Writes gold specialist Doug Winter, “This is generally a much better produced issue than the 1848-1850 eagles. The obverse does not have the “sunken” look seen on the previous three issues … The center is fairly sharp with good hair detail, with the exception of the curls around the face which are not fully struck. The reverse is usually sharp except for the eagle’s right leg feathers which are often weak.”