1852 $10 Wass Molitor Ten Dollar, Large Head, Wide Date, K-4, R.5. AU55 PCGS....

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1852 Wass Molitor Ten, AU55
Large Head, Wide Date, K-4 Variant

1852 $10 Wass Molitor Ten Dollar, Large Head, Wide Date, K-4, R.5. AU55 PCGS. The U.S. Assay Office was contractually prohibited from striking any coins smaller than their fifty dollar slugs in early 1852, and all earlier private coinage firms in the region had recently been closed, resulting in a shortage of small denomination coinage in the California Territory. The San Francisco firm of Wass, Molitor & Co., which was primarily an assay firm, was petitioned by local businessmen to produce coins in five and ten dollar denominations on an emergency basis in 1852, to alleviate this shortage. The coins were struck in large numbers and were generally well-received because of Wass, Molitor's reputation for integrity and reliability. Most of the coins were later turned in and melted for recoinage, after the San Francisco Mint opened in 1854.

An extensive network of die cracks on the obverse and the wide, uneven date of this coin identify the very scarce K-4 variety. Little actual wear is evident on this well-detailed Choice AU specimen, but a number of minor abrasions show on both sides. The orange-gold surfaces retain much original mint luster. Listed on page 400 of the 2017 Guide Book. Population: 6 in 55, 6 finer (5/16).

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# ANJN, PCGS# 10348, Greysheet# 11884)

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