1863-S Coronet $10 Eagle
The 1863-S Coronet $10 eagle is both a relic of the Civil War era and a highly prized numismatic acquisition. Here is why…
Uncertainty over the outcome of the American Civil War brought coinage circulation to a near standstill in the Eastern and Midwestern states, as people held on tightly to hard currency, out of fear that paper money could become worth no more than the paper it was printed on.(1)
Far removed from the major battlefields, coins circulated freely on the West Coast, to the extent where the San Francisco Mint struggled to supply the local economy with sufficient gold and silver money.(2)
As was typical of contemporary S-mint production, in 1863 much of San Francisco’s resources were dedicated to issuing $20 double eagles, when nearly a million of them were released into circulation.(3)
Little emphasis was placed on striking smaller gold denominations: only 10,000 pieces of the 1863-S $10 eagle were issued, and these were quickly absorbed into circulation. There were not many coin collectors active in the area during this time, so few examples were saved.(4)
Heavy use and time took a terrible toll on the survivorship of the 1863-S eagle. PCGS estimates fewer than 50 are extant today, with Mint State specimens bordering on non-existent.(5)
Pressure from advanced gold coin collectors competing for a small supply of 1863-S eagles has pushed prices consistently higher for many decades, much faster than most other collectible coins. That’s what happens when rarity, history, and demand all converge on a given coin such as this one.
| Estimated survivors in all grades: 47 ?
The survivor estimate from PCGS represents an average of one or more experts' opinions as to how many examples survive of a particular coin in all grades. Survival estimates include coins that are raw, certified by PCGS, and certified by other grading services. Learn more at PCGS. |
| PCGS Rarity Scale: 8.5 ?
The 'PCGS CoinFacts Rarity Scale' assesses the relative rarity of all U.S. coins, based on estimated surviving examples. The scale runs from 1.0 to 10.0. The higher the number, the rarer the coin.
Learn more at PCGS. |
| Click HERE to check for availability on eBay** |
Preview of eBay selection (also be sure to search eBay using the HERE link above):
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| Trendline Avg = 13.29 | GOOD |
Historic Value Trend Charts:
| Last updated 9-6-24 |  |
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Sources
1. Todd, Lewis and Curti, Merle. Rise of the American Nation 3rd ed. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., New York, NY. 1972.
2. Heritage Auctions. 1863-S $10. Aug 2022 Auction.
3. Garrett, Jeff et al. A Guide Book of United States Coins 2022 75th ed. Whitman Publishing, LLC. Pelham, AL. 2021.
4. Heritage Auctions. 1863-S $10. Jul 2022 Auction.
5. PCGS. 1863-S $10 (Regular Strike).
**Many very fine coin dealers sell on eBay. At any point in time, there may be over one million search results for United States coins. This includes quite a few of the recommendations on our Key Date Coin List.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a rare coin, eBay is certainly worth a look. For your convenience, the links from this site to eBay are coded to bring up only coins certified by PCGS and NGC.
As is always, always the case, never buy a valuable coin from a seller whose trustworthiness cannot be verified. Learn more about this at our chapter Best Places to Buy Coins, which also has a section on doing business on eBay.
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Coin images by Stack's Bowers Galleries.
