EAGLE 1797-1804 Heraldic Eagle Reverse - More Details
By 1797, the Eagle had taken its place as a vital element of commerce. During this era, production was increased dramatically, to keep up with demand for more and more circulating money. The reverse depicts an eagle with a shield on its breast, holding in its talons a bundle of arrows and an olive branch and in its beak a ribbon inscribed E PLURIBUS UNUM. A galaxy of stars and an arc of clouds is above. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds. There is no mark of denomination or value as their weight and metal content valued coins of the period.
The obverse remains the same as the proceeding, except that the star configuration varies on certain issues. For example, the 1798/7, an overdate, exists with nine stars left and four right and also with seven stars left and six right. No eagles were struck after 1804, as it was felt that because of rising bullion prices the pieces would be melted or exported as soon as they were produced.
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