Modern Commemorative Ten Dollar Gold (1984-2003)

Coin Series
Modern Commemorative Ten Dollar Gold (1984-2003) series coin

About This Series

The ten-dollar denomination of the modern commemorative program began with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics issue. The 1984 Olympic eagle was the first gold coin struck by the Mint since 1933 and the first U.S. coin to carry the W mint mark of West Point. The 2000 Library of Congress coin, a platinum core in a gold ring, was the first bimetallic coin from the U.S. Mint. The 2003 First Flight Centennial honored the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. Struck in .900 fine gold at about 27 mm and 16.718 grams, just under half an ounce of gold, these coins carry surcharges benefiting designated organizations. Most production took place at West Point, though the 1984 Olympic eagle was also struck in proof at Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.

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About the Program

The modern $10 commemoratives are three coins from three programs, each issued alongside a silver dollar, and in 2003 also a clad half dollar. The first marked the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Public Law 97-220, signed July 22, 1982, allowed up to two million gold eagles, struck in the .900 gold standard of the old circulating eagles; it was the first gold coin from the Mint since 1933 and the first U.S. coin with the W of the West Point Mint. Surcharges were divided between the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Los Angeles organizing committee.

The second, in 2000, honored the 200th anniversary of the Library of Congress under Public Law 105-268. It was the Mint's first bimetallic coin, a platinum core set in a gold ring. The third, in 2003, belonged to the First Flight Centennial program of Public Law 105-124, with surcharges going to the First Flight Foundation for the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

As with every modern commemorative, the Mint sold the coins itself, in proof and uncirculated finishes, singly and in sets. A 2020 Mayflower 400th Anniversary gold proof with a $10 face value, struck at West Point, appears in Wikipedia's list of 2020 commemoratives and in NGC's census of modern commemoratives; it is not part of this series.

The Designs

Each design page lists the coins struck for that issue. Figures are the U.S. Mint's sales.

  • Los Angeles Olympiad, 1984 (1984): a man and a woman running with the Olympic torch, from a sketch by James Peed, and an eagle on the reverse by John Mercanti, who sculpted both sides. West Point struck 75,886 uncirculated coins. Proofs came from all four mints: 381,085 from West Point, 48,551 from San Francisco, 34,533 from Denver and 33,309 from Philadelphia, 573,364 coins in all.
  • Library of Congress Bicentennial, 2000 (2000): Minerva's hand holding up the torch of learning beside the Jefferson Building's dome, by John Mercanti, and the Library's seal within a laurel wreath, by Thomas D. Rogers. West Point struck 7,261 uncirculated coins and 27,445 proofs.
  • First Flight Centennial, 2003 (2003): Orville and Wilbur Wright facing forward, by Donna Weaver, and an eagle in flight over the 1903 Wright Flyer, by Norman E. Nemeth. West Point struck 10,009 uncirculated coins and 21,676 proofs.

Mintages

Modern Commemorative Ten Dollar Gold (1984-2003) mintages by design and finish, taken from each coin's page in our catalog. Each figure opens that coin's page, which lists its varieties and errors. A dash means no figure was recorded. Where one issue was struck in more than one type, each type is listed.

How to Tell Them Apart

Metal. The 1984 and 2003 coins are solid yellow gold. The 2000 coin has a platinum center inside a gold ring.

Mint marks. Every coin of 2000 and 2003 carries a W. The 1984 eagle is the only one struck at more than one mint: W on both finishes, and P, D or S on proofs only.

Finish. Each year has a proof and an uncirculated version; in 1984 the uncirculated coin exists only with the W.

Errors and Varieties

In Our Catalog

No errors or varieties are listed for Modern Commemorative Ten Dollar Gold (1984-2003) yet. Submit one

Composition and Gold Content

  • 1984 and 2003: 90% gold, 6% silver, 4% copper; 16.718 grams; 26.92 mm (Wikipedia; NGC gives 27 mm); 0.4837 troy ounce of gold
  • 2000: a .9995 fine platinum core in a .900 fine gold ring, about a quarter ounce of each; 16.259 grams; 27 mm
  • Edge: reeded

FAQ

What was the first U.S. gold coin struck after 1933?

The 1984 Los Angeles Olympic $10 eagle. PCGS describes it as the first gold coin struck by the U.S. Mint since 1933, and the first U.S. coin to carry the W mint mark of West Point. It was authorized by Public Law 97-220, signed July 22, 1982. See the 1984 Olympic eagle page.

How many 1984 Olympic $10 gold coins were made?

The Mint sold 573,364 in all. West Point made the only uncirculated version, 75,886 coins, and proofs came from four mints: 381,085 from West Point, 48,551 from San Francisco, 34,533 from Denver and 33,309 from Philadelphia.

What is the 2000 Library of Congress $10 coin made of?

It is bimetallic, a platinum center inside a gold outer ring, the first coin of that kind from the U.S. Mint. The core is .9995 fine platinum and the ring .900 fine gold, in roughly equal weights of about a quarter ounce each; the coin weighs 16.259 grams. West Point struck 7,261 uncirculated coins and 27,445 proofs.

How much gold is in a modern commemorative $10 coin?

The 1984 and 2003 eagles weigh 16.718 grams in 90% gold, 6% silver and 4% copper, which NGC gives as 0.4837 troy ounce of gold. They have the same .900 fineness and size as the eagles struck for circulation before 1933. The 2000 coin is the gold and platinum bimetallic piece described above.

Where is the mint mark on the 1984 Olympic $10?

The 1984 eagle comes with W, P, D or S. Originally only West Point was to strike it; the plan was widened to Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco, which produced proofs only, so a P, D or S coin is always a proof and the only uncirculated coin is the W.

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