Turban Head Eagle

The Turban Head Eagle is the popular collector nickname for the first United States ten-dollar gold coin, officially the Draped Bust or Capped Bust eagle, struck from 1795 through 1804. Liberty's soft cap and swept-back hair on the obverse gave the coin its enduring nickname, even though contemporary references generally called it simply an eagle.

As the largest and highest-denomination gold coin authorized under the original Mint Act of 1792, it holds a special place as one of America's first gold coins, alongside the half eagle. The earliest examples, struck 1795-1797, pair the portrait with a small, perched eagle reverse copied loosely from ancient and Renaissance gem engravings, before a bolder heraldic eagle reverse was adopted.

No eagles were struck at all between 1805 and 1837, a gap driven by the coin's gold content becoming worth more than face value in world markets, which makes this entire early series a foundational, keenly collected chapter of American numismatics.

The Coinage Act of 1792 authorized the eagle as the largest U.S. gold denomination, but the Mint did not strike its first examples until September 1795. Chief engraver Robert Scot created the design, drawing on the same draped-bust Liberty portrait used across other early U.S. silver and gold coins of the era.

The earliest reverse, used from 1795 to 1797, shows a small, naturalistic eagle perched on a branch, an image thought to be adapted from an ancient cameo or gem admired in Mint circles. It was replaced in 1797 by a bolder heraldic eagle reverse based on the Great Seal of the United States, which continued through the end of the series in 1804.

Coinage of the eagle ceased after 1804, not to resume until 1838, because the coin's gold content made it worth more as bullion than as money once gold and silver market ratios shifted; large numbers were melted or exported, especially to Europe, making surviving examples relatively scarce today.

The obverse depicts Liberty in profile facing right, her hair swept up under a soft, turban-like cap inscribed LIBERTY, with stars surrounding the portrait and the date below. The overall look, especially the cap, gives the type its 'Turban Head' nickname.

On the small eagle reverse (1795-1797), a compact eagle stands on a branch, wings spread, encircled by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with no stated denomination (as was typical of the era). On the later heraldic eagle reverse (1797-1804), a larger eagle holds a shield on its breast with an olive branch and arrows in its talons and a banner reading E PLURIBUS UNUM above.

The coin is a large, thick, hand-struck gold piece with a reeded edge, no mintmark (Philadelphia only), and no stated numeral denomination on most dates, since the size and gold color identified the coin's value in an era of low literacy and simple commerce.

All dates of the Turban Head/Draped Bust eagle are scarce, reflecting small original mintages and heavy later melting; even well-worn, problem examples of common dates typically bring five-figure sums.

Certain dates and die varieties are especially prized, including 1795 (the first year of issue) and 1804 (the last year before the long production gap), the latter also tied to famous 1834 diplomatic proof restrikes made using a similar design.

Because every example is inherently rare and expensive, buyers typically rely on professional grading and variety attribution, and prices can vary enormously based on condition, originality, and specific date or die variety.