1907 $10 Wire Rim MS66 PCGS Secure....

Description

1907 Indian Eagle, MS66
Scarce Wire Rim Variant
Net Mintage of 472 Pieces

1907 $10 Wire Rim MS66 PCGS Secure. The Wire Rim Indian ten is listed in the standard pattern references under Judd-1901 (Judd-1774 in earlier editions) and Pollock-1995, but recent research by Roger W. Burdette (Coin World, May 31,2004 edition) indicates the Wire Rim tens were actually business strikes. Designed by prominent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Mint records indicate 500 examples were struck in August and September of 1907 and another 42 specimens were produced before the end of the year. Other records show 70 coins were later melted, leaving an extremely low net mintage of 472 pieces. None of the coins were released into the regular channels of circulation. Instead, they were distributed to Cabinet members, Congressmen, and Treasury officials, and sold to well-connected coin dealers, private citizens, and museums that ordered them. Henry Chapman and Thomas Elder both secured an ample supply of these coins and sold them to favored clients for years afterward. The restricted distribution and novelty of the Indian design created intense collector demand for the issue, initially, but also caused resentment among rank and file collectors who felt frozen out of the process.

The Wire Rim Indian ten, with periods before and after the reverse legend and denomination, represents Augustus Saint-Gaudens' first design for the ten dollar gold piece. Liberty's warbonnet was suggested by President Theodore Roosevelt, to add a distinctive American touch to an issue with the high relief and classical style of the ancient Greek coins. As with all high relief designs, the Wire Rim tens were hard to strike with full details. Mint Director Charles Barber later produced a low relief version of the design, with no periods, that served well for high speed coinage operations, but lost some of the sculptural beauty of the original design. Walter Breen noted the Wire Rim Tens "are the only available gold $10s showing the Saint-Gaudens conceptions in anywhere near their pristine splendor..." Today, the Wire Rim Indian eagle is one of the most sought-after issues in the series, enjoying a similar standing in the hobby to their High Relief double eagle cousins.

The present coin is a delightful Premium Gem with well-preserved greenish-gold surfaces that show random, swirling die polish lines in the fields. Both sides radiate vibrant, satiny mint luster and outstanding eye appeal. The strike is typical for the issue, with the central devices strongly impressed and peripheral elements a little soft, due to the curvature of the fields. This coin should find a home in a fine collection of Indian eagles. Population: 18 in 66 (1 in 66+), 7 finer (11/18).(Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 268B, PCGS# 8850, Greysheet# 9744)

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.

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