LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 Jan. FUN Signature Coin Auction #454  / 

3278

1908-D $10 Motto MS66 NGC

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:33,750.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1908-D $10 Motto MS66 NGC
<B>1908-D $10 Motto MS66 NGC.</B></I> With its ample mintage of 836,500 pieces, the 1908-D Motto eagle seems as if it should be an available issue, and through the circulated grades, this holds true, as even Choice AU examples command little to no premium above type. Mint State examples, however, prove surprisingly elusive, a fact that was not acknowledged for several decades. As late as 1980, David Akers, in his seminal volume on ten dollar gold pieces, described the 1908-D Motto as "one of the most underrated dates of the Indian Head type."<BR> The market for this issue has shifted since then, and the 1908-D has taken its place among the condition rarities of the series for knowledgeable enthusiasts. Awareness of the 1908-D Motto ten, however, has come only gradually to the numismatic population at large, which perpetuates a remarkable opportunity for the discerning collector. Garrett and Guth (2006) write that "[f]or the serious and well-heeled specialist, this date can be obtained," but " ... few examples survived that have the unblemished surfaces required" for an MS65 or better designation.<BR> This gorgeous Premium Gem should find a home with a numismatist possessing those qualities. Its wheat-gold surfaces are strongly lustrous with the subtle granularity common to all high-end representatives, and while the strike is a trifle soft at the highpoints of the portrait, the overall level of definition is bold. The fields and devices are as well-preserved as one could want for the grade, and if not for a handful of tiny flaws, it would have a legitimate claim to Superb Gem status. In sum, a marvelous example. Census: 5 in 66, 4 finer (11/07).<BR><BR><B>Coin Engraver:</B> Augustus Saint-Gaudens<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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