1873 Eagle Patterns

About This Coin

Within the Trade Dollar Era Patterns (1871-1873), the 1873 Eagle Patterns represent William Barber's ambitious redesign of the ten-dollar gold piece at the Philadelphia Mint. The obverse features Barber's seated Liberty facing left with olive branch and wheat sheaf — proposing replacement of the established Coronet Head eagle design serving since 1838 with a modern artistic interpretation. The reverse displays an eagle perched atop a bale of goods with olive branch and three arrows, translating the commercial symbolism of the trade dollar program to the eagle denomination and reflecting America's aspirations as a major participant in Gilded Age global commerce. A notable result of $23K in PR66 grade at Stack's confirms strong collector interest in ten-dollar gold patterns combining the eagle denomination's prestige with Barber's artistic distinction. The 1873 eagle patterns sit at the upper end of the denomination range covered by Barber's coordinated series, which proposed a unified design language spanning every American coin. For collectors, the eagle format provides a substantial canvas for Barber's design elements at the ten-dollar scale.