United States: gold eagle ($10.00), Indian Head type with motto, 1911

United States: gold eagle ($10.00), Indian Head type with motto, 1911

Obverse: personification of Lady Liberty in Indian headdress left.
Reverse: bald eagle left, denomination below.
Edge: continuous row of five-pointed stars.
Issuer: United States Mint, Philadelphia.
Specifications: .900 gold, 16.78 g, .4837 oz AGW, 27 mm.
Grade: PCGS MS62; cert. #44147914.
Reference: Numista-23124, KM-130.
Provenance: ex-Michael Swoveland, dba WNC Coins, LLC, 21 Feb 2022.
Notes: The Indian gold Eagle was designed by famed sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), who also designed the iconic double-eagle coins which bear his name, among other works.
Comments: Not only do I like this coin for its aesthetic beauty, but was also pleased that it was struck in my paternal grandmother's birthyear.

















125000S

 

In 46 years of collecting, this coin is only the third for which I have paid a four-figure price. And it is #3 of my lineup of most expensive to date. That's primarily because of what bullion has done in the last two decades, of course.

I have previously owned two other $10 Indians, and one was a 1932 PCGS MS63 OGH. But that was in the early 2000s, when bullion was much less expensive. Since the Recession, I've largely been priced out of the market for anything larger in size than a quarter-eagle, though a recent inheritance windfall has enabled some relatively bigger-ticket purchases for the moment.

In fact, my #2 most expensive coin to date arrived in the same box as this piece, and I will post it soon.

#1 was- and remains for the moment- my most expensive to date (though now sold). It was an 1842-D half-eagle. I sold it a couple of years ago to buy my daughter's first (used) car.

This inheritance money will soon be reinvested in debt removal, and an index fund, and daughter's college and more "responsible" stuff like that, but you can bet your sweet patootie there's gonna be some coin splurging in the meantime!

 

I don't mind saying (if it's not tacky to mention cost), I'm in it for $1,250. Given that the PCGS trend price is $1,750 as of this typing, I think I did pretty well on it.

This is my #3 biggest, and #2 is a beast. It is not only larger, but also has a yellowish color, a colonial past, and is 103 years older. Stay tuned!

I'll drop you a heavy hint. Now why in the world would I have just sold this Spanish gold escudo I loved so much, unless... ?

 

Thanks. That S-B coin does have a good bit of chatter, though it appears to have decent luster. I’d personally call it within bounds for what a normal 62 should look like, making mine a more PQ 62, perhaps. Guess I should CAC mine, huh.

 

Working on pix and writeup

 

Show us, if you have pix. Pile on, everyone, with your $10 Indians, if you have 'em. I fully realize not everyone does. In fact, I never thought I'd again have the opportunity to own one.