$10 Indian Head Gold Coin | Cull

Saint-Gaudens Gold, Worn Past Collector Grade

These $10 Indian Head gold eagles are genuine U.S. Mint coins from 1907 to 1933, worn or damaged to the point where collectors no longer pay up for them. Each was struck with 0.48375 troy ounces of gold in a 90% fine alloy, and wear takes off only a little of it. The design is the work of the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

The Sculptor Who Never Saw It

President Theodore Roosevelt’s push for more artistic coins led the Mint to hire Saint-Gaudens, and Roosevelt pressed the sculptor to put an Indian feather headdress on Liberty, calling it “distinctly American.” Saint-Gaudens added the headdress in February 1907, but he was already ill with cancer. He died on August 3, 1907, and never saw it released. Roosevelt had the Mint finish and strike the new eagle that same month.

The Motto That Came Back

The first Indian Head eagles left off IN GOD WE TRUST, and the public outcry pushed Congress to pass a law requiring it. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber added the motto in 1908, in the field to the left of the standing eagle. The coin in our photos, dated 1910, carries it.

What Cull Means Here

Cull sits at the bottom of the condition range. Expect heavy wear across Liberty’s feathers and the eagle’s wing, and expect some coins to show scratches, rim dings, old cleaning or edge damage. Dates and mint marks are our choice from stock and cannot be requested, and the coin you receive will not match the photos. The gold is unchanged, which is why a cull is priced closer to its metal than a problem-free coin.

$10 Indian Head Gold Coin Cull Specifications

Each coin was struck at 16.718 grams of 90% gold and 10% copper, for 0.48375 troy ounces of pure gold. It measures 27 mm across and carries a $10 denomination. Dates fall between 1907 and 1933. Full current details are on the Specifications tab.

$10 Indian Head Gold Coin Cull FAQ

How much gold is in a cull $10 Indian?

0.48375 troy ounces when it was struck. Heavy wear rubs off a small amount, so a cull may weigh slightly under 16.718 grams.

Why is Liberty wearing a feather headdress?

Theodore Roosevelt asked for it. He wanted at least one coin to show an Indian feather headdress, and Saint-Gaudens added it to his Liberty in 1907.

Why do some Indian eagles lack IN GOD WE TRUST?

The earliest coins were struck without it. Congress then required the motto, and it was added in 1908, in the reverse field beside the eagle.

Can I choose the date or mint mark?

No. Dates and mint marks ship at our choice from stock. No date requests on this listing.

Why buy a cull instead of a better grade?

Because a cull costs less over its gold value than a problem-free Indian eagle. You give up looks, and you keep the gold and the Saint-Gaudens design.

Want more early American gold? Browse our Pre-1933 US Gold Coins.

Saint-Gaudens’s eagle, priced for its gold. Add the $10 Indian Head Gold Coin, Cull, to your cart.