1914 $10

Description

PCGS 1914 PR 64. 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 30 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 considerably brighter than on the preceding PCGS Proof 66 1913 with a pale overlay of rose patina seen over both sides of the basically green-gold coin. There are a couple of mint-made defects that we assume are responsible for the grade because we do not see any post-striking impairments of sufficient gravity to account for a less-than-gem classification. There is a tiny planchet flake on the lower part of the truncation of the neck, a curved lint mark on the nose of Liberty, and a faint grease stain (as struck) between two feathers on the upper portion of the headdress. There are also a couple of small alloy spots as well in the lower reverse field. Individually these small (some almost microscopic) defects are of little consequence, but collectively they do cause minor disruptions in the fabric of the coin.
At the Proof 64 level this piece is certainly not one of the finest known, nor will it prove to be one of the most costly. However, as with most of the matte proofs in this singularly important collection, the opportunity to purchase such a coin may prove more important than the cost eventually required to purchase the piece.

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

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 16.72 grams
AGW: 0.53oz
Mintage: 50

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.

View Certification Details from PCGS