The 1866 issue is the first Philadelphia Mint Liberty Head eagle to feature the Motto design type; the addition of IN GOD WE TRUST to the reverse design stemmed from the religious revival that swept through the Union during the Civil War. With just 3,750 coins struck, the 1866 Motto $10 was an absolute rarity upon its inception, and heavy circulation and melting has only further reduced this population. It is estimated that just 75 to 100 survive in numismatic hands today.

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the Spring 2019 Baltimore Auction, where it realized $55,200.