A 1795 Year Set
1795 Eagle

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The first 1795 eagles or $10 gold pieces were struck in September 1795. The eagle was second U.S. gold denomination that the mint issued following the half eagle, which first appeared in July of the same year. These large, impressive coins were the flagship denomination of the United States gold system. They bore the same design as their smaller half eagle sisters. These coins were most often used in large financial transactions. Most contemporary Americans neither handled nor even saw on of these pieces.

The obverse features a bust of Liberty dressed in has been said to be a fashionable cap and hair style of the period. The reverse features a small eagle holding a laurel wreath in its beak. The eagle is perched on a palm branch that has 13 leaves. One rare 1795 variety has 9 leaves on the palm branch.

This coin is an example of BD variety #1. The diagnostic features are a closely spaced date with the “1” close to the curl and the top of the “5” embedded in the bust. The 11th star is also very close to the letter “Y” in “LIBERTY.” On the reverse a palm leaflet almost touches the “U” in “UNITED.” This is the most common 1795 variety. It is estimated that there are 225 to 325 surviving examples of this variety.