1838 Liberty Head Eagle. EF-45 (NGC).，An overall boldly defined, highly desirable example of this brief design type from the earliest years of the Liberty Head eagle series. Orange-gold patina blankets surfaces that are uncommonly smooth in hand for a lightly circulated survivor of this challenging issue. Sure to have no difficulty finding its way into an advanced gold type or date set.<p>In 1838, following a lapse since 1804, ten-dollar gold eagles were again struck, now of the Liberty Head design by Christian Gobrecht. The mintage was fairly modest with nearly all pieces entering circulation, where they saw active duty. There was absolutely no numismatic notice of these coins, an unusual situation for a first year issue in U.S. Mint history. By the time that demand did occur, mainly decades later in the 20th century, most available examples were in lower grades.<p>In addition to absolute scarcity, the 1838 is significant as representative of a two-year design type. Libertys portrait is delicate on the 1838 and certain 1839 eagles, with the bust leaning decidedly left and much thinner in appearance than the familiar and somewhat stodgy Liberty head of late 1839 to 1907. For the 1838 to 1839 type, the tip of Libertys coronet is left of star 6 and the sharply sweeping point of her shoulder is right of star 13. On the later issues in this series, the portrait is stockier in appearance, more upright, and the coronet tip is right of star 6 with the more rounded point of the shoulder left of star 13. We have never seen an example of this date, regardless of condition, go begging for bids, and we expect the same situation for this piece.，PCGS# 8575. NGC ID: 262D.，，From Heritages Long Beach Signature Auction of June 2006, lot 3479.
