Why Are Double Eagle Coins Called “Double Eagle”?
Eagle was the popular name for a $10 gold coin minted in the United States between 1795 and 1933. The coin was not minted from 1805 to 1837. It was one of three coins named in 1792 in the first act of Congress to authorize coinage. For many years it was the highest denomination of any U.S. coin. Eagles were used widely in the United States until 1934, along with double-eagles, half-eagles, and quarter-eagles. In 1933, a law was passed to take all gold coins out of circulation. In 1986, however, the U.S. Mint began selling gold bullion coins, called American Eagles, to investors. The U.S. Mint also makes some commemorative coins from gold. Contributor: Burton H. Hobson, B.A., President and Editorial Director, Sterling Publishing Company.
