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Sale 78
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Lot 1843
1907. Wire Rim, Periods. PCGS graded MS-65+. CAC Approved. A magnificent example of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' newly designed gold eagle. The satin mint surfaces are undisturbed and exhibit rich golden mint bloom color. Only 500 minted of this popular first year variety. The year 1907 was a watershed one in American numismatics. Tossed out were several run-of-the-mill coin designs that had outlived their day. President "Teddy" Roosevelt, spearheaded the revolution by strong-arming the Mint to bring its coinage design up to twentieth century standards as he viewed things. America's brand-new navy, christened the Great White Fleet was steaming around the world on its grand tour as sort of a chest-pounding exercise. What better then for Theodore Roosevelt to be in the vanguard of this American "awakening" when it came to her coins. These elegant Indian Head Ten Dollar Pieces by Augustus Saint-Gaudens were one of the more visible signs of this modernization plan, and should be treasured accordingly as others cherish artifacts from prior, historic openings.
A rare and popular transitional issue, one of a mere 500 pieces made without intentions of circulation, technically making the Wire Edge $10 a pattern (Judd-1774). Some nowadays may argue the point of this being a true Pattern since some did reach circulation. This issue was the closest the mint came to reproducing the ten-dollar design as envisaged by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Theodore Roosevelt. The presently offered coin has subtly variegated coloration but mainly warm mint bloom and only a few of the most inconsequential marks, none of them singular or important. The die polishing lines (universal to all specimens) are more pronounced on the reverse fields while overall the coin has a bright native satiny sheen. A humdinger of a coin, and a glorious Gem for the connoisseur and numismatic specialist who can afford this masterpiece of a bygone era! Pop 4; 21 finer, 15 in 66, 6 in 67 (PCGS # 8850) .
Historic note: Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ (never omit the hyphen in his name, it isn’t polite to his memory) $10 design bore on the obverse a female wearing an Indian war bonnet, said to have been taken from the portrait of his mistress, Davida Clark, with whom he is alleged to have had a child (although biographers have never been able to confirm this). The bonnet or headdress is inscribed LIBERTY on a band, 13 stars are in an arc above, and the date is below.
The reverse depicts a perched eagle with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA above, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM to the right, and the denomination expressed as TEN DOLLARS below. The eagle on the new 1907 $10 was directly copied from the motif Saint-Gaudens used on the 1905 presidential inaugural medal for Theodore Roosevelt. Later, Bela Lyon Pratt used pretty much the same motif for the reverse of the new $2.50 and $5 coins of 1908.
According to Bowers: "While these have been popularly called patterns, an examination of the situation leaves no room for any conclusion other than that these were 'special' coins produced not as patterns, but for the profit of Mint employees and favored others. A pattern is a design proposal made in very small numbers to test the motif -- often involving adjustments made by the engraver, etc., before coins are struck for circulation. In the present instance, the 'special' 1907 coins with periods were placed in the hands of Mint personnel who were free to keep them as souvenirs or sell them at a profit."
Estimated Value $60,000 - 65,000.
The Del Valle Collection.
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| Realized $99,875 |
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