1839/8 Liberty Head Eagle. Type of 1838, Large Letters. EF-45 (NGC).A second opportunity for the advanced gold type collector to add an example of Christian Gobrechts original Liberty Head design for the gold eagle to their collection. This second year 1839/8 is boldly defined in and around the centers with plenty of lively mint luster remaining. Handsome deep orange-gold patina throughout.pThe first iteration of Christian Gobrechts Liberty Head eagle bore a distinctive obverse featuring a sweep of hair completely covering Libertys ear and a peculiarly deep curve to the busts truncation. Benjamin Wests painting emOmnia Vincit Amor/em ("Love Conquers All") served as Gobrechts model, even down to the beaded cord and coronet style. The first eagles using this design were struck at the end of 1838, with 7,200 pieces intended for circulation on top of four "specimen" coins presented to Secretary of the Treasury Levi Woodbury. In 1839, the same obverse design was employed for the first 25,801 eagles produced bearing that date before the design was modified. For the later pieces, Libertys hair was changed, and the truncation was also modified to be less dramatically curved. The date was moved to be more directly underneath the truncation, rather than the somewhat cumbersome placement nearer the tip of the bust. This modified obverse would be employed for the next 67 years before giving way to Saint-Gaudens Indian design. The overdate, a feature found on most examples of the issue, is an added point of interest on this already historically important coin.pThe 1839 Type of 1838 eagle is a very scarce coin in all grades, with perhaps just under 250 examples known, by far the vast majority of which are well circulated. While just a hair more available than the first year of issue, there is quite a bit of competition between type collectors and classic period gold specialists when an example appears at sale, regardless of condition. As a solidly graded Choice EF with ample eye appeal, this specimen will attract significant attention from numismatists of all stripes.
