1914 $10

Description

Unimprovable Gem 1914 Proof Ten Dollar

1914 PR 65 NGC. Ex: Trompeter. In 1914 only 50 proof tens were struck by the Mint. Presumably by that time the Mint had grown weary of producing proof gold coins that languished in the vaults and eventually had to be melted. Collectors of the day never appreciated the French-style matte finish and as the years went by fewer and fewer sets were ordered. Another factor contributing to the extreme rarity of these coins is the buying power they represented. In 1914 the face value of a ten dollar gold coin represented more than the weekly wages of a typical New England textile factory worker. It has been variously estimated that as few as 17 pieces exist today of this date, and Akers was only able to uncover 14 appearances in auction over a 40-year period, including duplicates. We believe there may be somewhere between 25 and 35 examples extant today in all grades. An unusually high number of coins have been certified of this date at the services with a total population of 31 pieces seen (minus, of course, an unknown number of duplicate submissions).
The matte surfaces on coins of this date have a slightly different texture, as pointed out by Breen. They have a coarser grain finish with individual facets on the sandblast surface being just a bit larger than on previous years. The color is similar to the 1913 but with more of a grayish tint present here. An irregular wire rim is seen primarily on the reverse, being sharpest at the top of that side and thickest at the lower right. This is a pristine proof that has no identifying marks, and could never be improved upon. As with most of the matte proof gold from Ed Trompeter's collection, the opportunity to purchase such a coin may prove more important than the cost eventually required.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 26YE, PCGS# 8896, Greysheet# 9782)

Weight: 16.72 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

Note for clients in the European Union: This lot is considered by the European Union to be “investment gold”. We believe that it meets the criteria established in Article 344(1), point (2) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC and thus should be exempt from import VAT regardless of the selling price. Any questions or concerns about VAT should be addressed to your accountant or local tax authority.