Liberty Head Gold Coins
The coronet portrait that connected generations of U.S. gold coinage. Compare four denominations, their reverse changes and the measurements that matter for bezel fit.
Explore this guide
Sizes at a glanceFour denominations, one recognizable portrait familyThe coronet and the eagleThe motto and the double-eagle typesThe early half-eagle size exceptionHow to use rounded measurementsCollecting, condition and mountingCommon questionsGlossarySources and research notesSizes at a glance
Liberty Head gold coins are often called Coronet Head coins because Liberty wears a headband inscribed with her name. This guide covers the $2.50 quarter eagle, $5 half eagle, $10 eagle and $20 double eagle found in our Liberty Head bezel collection. The small Liberty Head gold dollar belongs to a separate size and is not included in this four-denomination table.
Christian Gobrecht designed the quarter eagle, half eagle and eagle types; James B. Longacre is credited with the double eagle. Their family resemblance helps with initial recognition, but the reverse denomination and physical size are essential for identifying the actual coin. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Quick specifications
Gold content is measured in troy ounces. Throughout this guide, “oz” means troy ounces of fine gold, not the coin’s total weight.
| Gold content (troy oz) | Denomination / regular series dates | Reference diameter | Total coin weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.12094 oz | $2.50 quarter eagle / 1840–1907 | 18.0 mm | 4.180 g |
| 0.24187 oz | $5 half eagle / 1839–1908 | 21.6 mm, with early exceptions | 8.359 g |
| 0.48375 oz | $10 eagle / 1838–1907 | 26.8 mm; often rounded to 27 mm | 16.718 g |
| 0.96750 oz | $20 double eagle / 1850–1907 | 34.0 mm | 33.436 g |
All four are 90% gold. Total weight and fine-gold content follow NGC’s reference table. Diameter references are listed separately because published descriptions can use different rounding. PCGS lists the Liberty Head $10 at 26.8 mm; NGC commonly lists 27 mm. PCGS also documents 22.5 mm “broad mill” half eagles in 1839 and some 1840 issues. Do not assume every Liberty Head $5 fits the later 21.6 mm format. [2] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Find your Liberty Head size
Photographs are enlarged for identification and are not shown at actual or relative size. Match the denomination, date, type and measured diameter. Early half eagles need an additional size check.
Four denominations, one recognizable portrait family
The Liberty Head eagle began in 1838, the half eagle in 1839 and the quarter eagle in 1840. The double eagle entered regular production in 1850. Together, the types span much of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. [1] [2] [3] [4]
“Quarter,” “half” and “double” describe their relationship to the ten-dollar eagle. They are denomination names, not fractions or multiples of a troy ounce. Even the twenty-dollar double eagle contains slightly less than one troy ounce of gold. [5]
For a useful inventory entry, include the dollar value as well as the familiar name. “Liberty Head double eagle, twenty dollars” is more precise than “large Liberty gold coin.”
The coronet and the eagle
Gobrecht’s Liberty portrait faces left, with the coronet providing the identifying word “LIBERTY.” The half eagle reverse uses an eagle with a shield, olive branch and arrows. The larger denominations develop related heraldic themes, while the double eagle uses Longacre’s more elaborate reverse composition. [2] [4]
When comparing images, look past the shared headband. Read the denomination on the reverse and check the date. An enlarged quarter eagle can fill the same screen area as a double eagle, and the apparent size of the portrait does not reveal the coin’s actual diameter.
The motto and the double-eagle types
Liberty Head half eagles and eagles have major No Motto and With Motto divisions, with “IN GOD WE TRUST” added in 1866. The ten-dollar series also includes an earlier portrait distinction in 1838–1839. [2] [3]
The double eagle is commonly divided into three main types. Type 1 has no motto; Type 2 adds the motto and retains the abbreviated denomination; Type 3 spells out “TWENTY DOLLARS.” The transition to Type 2 occurred in 1866, and Type 3 began in 1877. [4]
These changes are useful identification details, but a type number is not a universal size code. It also does not have the same meaning across different denominations. Always name the coin series when describing a “Type 1” or “Type 3.”
The early half-eagle size exception
Most later Liberty Head half eagles are listed at 21.6 mm. PCGS notes that the 1839 issues and some 1840 examples measure 22.5 mm and are sometimes called broad mill pieces. This is a substantive size difference, not merely two references rounding the same figure. [2]
If you have an 1839 or 1840 five-dollar coin, identify its exact issue and measure it before ordering. A bezel intended for the later format should not be chosen simply because its title says “Liberty Head half eagle.” Contact us with the date, denomination and measurement when a product’s compatibility is unclear.
How to use rounded measurements
The Liberty Head eagle illustrates a different situation: PCGS uses 26.8 mm, while NGC examples are commonly described as 27 mm. A reference may be giving a more precise catalog figure or a rounded size. [6] [7]
Keep the coin’s own measurement separate from the bezel’s outside width and from a jewelry catalog’s nominal fit label. The decorative border adds width around the coin. None of those numbers should be silently substituted for another.
The twenty-dollar coin is cataloged at 34 mm in the reference used here. A product marked with a nearby nominal size should still explicitly name the Liberty Head double eagle. Similar dimensions alone do not establish that a setting is suitable. [8]
Collecting, condition and mounting
Original dates, mint marks, varieties and surviving condition can matter substantially to collectors. A well-worn historical coin and a carefully preserved proof should not be treated as equivalent merely because their dimensions agree. Identify the specific coin before deciding to wear it.
Do not polish an old coin to make it look new. Handle it by the edge and protect the original surfaces. [9]
For a bezel, choose the exact denomination and check the closure and bail opening. Never force a coin into a frame. Mounting may leave evidence at the rim or contact points, so professional advice is sensible for an important or potentially collectible example.
Common questions
Is a Liberty Head double eagle a two-ounce coin?
No. “Double eagle” means twenty dollars, twice the historic ten-dollar denomination. Its gold content is approximately 0.96750 troy oz. [5]
Will every Liberty Head half eagle fit the same bezel?
No assumption should be made for the early issues. The 1839 coins and some 1840 examples are documented at 22.5 mm rather than the later 21.6 mm. [2]
Are Liberty Head and Indian Head coins the same series?
No. They are separate designs and series. Use the coin type and denomination stated in the bezel listing, even where some standard dimensions are similar.
Glossary
- Coronet
- The headband worn by Liberty in the design.
- No Motto / With Motto
- Type descriptions referring here to the presence of IN GOD WE TRUST.
- Broad mill
- A term used for the larger-diameter early Liberty Head half eagles.
- Double eagle
- The historic twenty-dollar U.S. gold denomination.
Sources and research notes
[2] PCGS, Liberty Head $5: Gobrecht design, motto types and broad mill exception
[3] PCGS, Liberty Head $10: series history and major types
[4] NGC, Liberty Head $20: designs and three principal types
[5] NGC, U.S. Gold Coin reference table: total weights and fine-gold contents
[6] PCGS, 1838 Liberty Head $10: 26.8 mm reference diameter
[7] NGC, 1861-S Liberty Head $10: 27 mm listed diameter
[8] PCGS Auction Prices, 1854 Liberty Head double eagle: 34 mm, 33.436 g and regular-production history
[9] U.S. Mint, Caring for Your Coin Collection
The table begins regular double-eagle issues in 1850; the 1849 pattern is not treated as an ordinary circulating issue. The early half-eagle size exception and the $10 diameter rounding difference are intentionally kept separate.
Related coin guides
Research and image captions reviewed November 4, 2026.