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Lot 1020
1914 $10 PF-67 NGC Augustus Saint-Gaudens, designer; Henry Hering modeler; modified by Charles Barber
Obverse: Head of Liberty left, wearing feathered war bonnet; the band inscribed: LIBERTY. Thirteen stars above; below bust: 1914.
Reverse: Eagle standing left on bundle of arrows entwined with a laurel branch; above, UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA; below, TEN•DOLLARS; to left, IN / GOD WE / TRUST, in three lines; to right, E / PLURIBUS / UNUM, in three lines.
Edge: Forty-eight stars.
Condition: NGC Proof 67 (Certificate number: 1963253-012 – Photo Proof 10-07; previous Photo Proof 01-07 [number 1741227-027]).
An exceptional example. Medium khaki in color with more tightly grained surfaces than are usually encountered with this date. A small mint-caused inclusion above the motto, near the base of the E of UNITED identifies this coin as the Bloomfield piece.
References: Breen (Encyclopedia) 7124; Breen (Proofs) p. 216; Akers (1980) p. 287-288; Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia) p. 421; United States Mint, Operating Records, "Medal Book," 1906-1916, NARA, Philadelphia. (PCGS 8896)
Condition Census: Among the finest known. NGC lists a total of seven pieces this level and only one finer; PCGS has graded no examples nearly this fine (Proof 65+ the finest). This coin comes from the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection which attests to its perfection. According to that auction catalogue, Bloomfield was a stickler for grade before it was popular. He assembled two sets of matte proofs through Abe Kosoff, and his "A" set was sold by Sotheby's in 1996. That sale also included the finest of all Ultra-High relief double eagles, as well as two of the finest seen Gold Rush $50 slugs. (07-13)
Rarity: Extremely rare by any standard. According to Mint records in the National Archives thirty-five 1914 proof eagles each were struck on two days (in September and November), and of these 70 struck, only 50 were accepted by the coiner. Unlike some of the other dates (noted above) this figure agrees with that published in all standard works of reference and is the lowest mintage of any of the Matte proof eagle series. Garrett and Guth consider this to be the "fourth-scarcest issue" of the series and David Akers felt a survival of half or slightly less was probable.
Provenance: Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection, Sotheby's, December 16, 1996, lot 54, "exceedingly attractive" ($34,100); Sam Bloomfield (prior to 1979); via Abe Kosoff, circa 1970.
Note: Saint-Gaudens's designs did not lend themselves technically to the polishing of the dies as had the earlier designs that they replaced, so the concept of a brilliant or cameo proof was never seriously considered.
One of the primary reasons for the popularity of the matte finish (however short-lived it might have been) was that the finish removed any reflective surface, so the engraved details did not have to compete with uncontrolled light sources to be seen and appreciated to their full potential. Unlike traditional proofs, neither the dies nor the planchets were polished. The planchets were, however, selected for their high quality (although some examples slipped through and can exhibit tiny flaws) and they were struck on the hydraulic press (used for medals). The struck coins were then subjected to a fine stream of sand at high velocity, which is why they are quite properly referred to by some as sandblast proofs (although the official Mint term for the finish was simply "dull").
The results were inconsistent (which today is part of their allure); the color of the coins could be highly variable, as could the fineness or coarseness of the surface (1914 proofs as a rule are more granular than some other years), but the finish's fatal flaw was the extremely delicacy of the completed product, which could be spoiled by the slightest mishandling or friction. This is not the case with this superb example.
Obverse: Head of Liberty left, wearing feathered war bonnet; the band inscribed: LIBERTY. Thirteen stars above; below bust: 1914.
Reverse: Eagle standing left on bundle of arrows entwined with a laurel branch; above, UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA; below, TEN•DOLLARS; to left, IN / GOD WE / TRUST, in three lines; to right, E / PLURIBUS / UNUM, in three lines.
Edge: Forty-eight stars.
Condition: NGC Proof 67 (Certificate number: 1963253-012 – Photo Proof 10-07; previous Photo Proof 01-07 [number 1741227-027]).
An exceptional example. Medium khaki in color with more tightly grained surfaces than are usually encountered with this date. A small mint-caused inclusion above the motto, near the base of the E of UNITED identifies this coin as the Bloomfield piece.
References: Breen (Encyclopedia) 7124; Breen (Proofs) p. 216; Akers (1980) p. 287-288; Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia) p. 421; United States Mint, Operating Records, "Medal Book," 1906-1916, NARA, Philadelphia. (PCGS 8896)
Condition Census: Among the finest known. NGC lists a total of seven pieces this level and only one finer; PCGS has graded no examples nearly this fine (Proof 65+ the finest). This coin comes from the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection which attests to its perfection. According to that auction catalogue, Bloomfield was a stickler for grade before it was popular. He assembled two sets of matte proofs through Abe Kosoff, and his "A" set was sold by Sotheby's in 1996. That sale also included the finest of all Ultra-High relief double eagles, as well as two of the finest seen Gold Rush $50 slugs. (07-13)
Rarity: Extremely rare by any standard. According to Mint records in the National Archives thirty-five 1914 proof eagles each were struck on two days (in September and November), and of these 70 struck, only 50 were accepted by the coiner. Unlike some of the other dates (noted above) this figure agrees with that published in all standard works of reference and is the lowest mintage of any of the Matte proof eagle series. Garrett and Guth consider this to be the "fourth-scarcest issue" of the series and David Akers felt a survival of half or slightly less was probable.
Provenance: Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection, Sotheby's, December 16, 1996, lot 54, "exceedingly attractive" ($34,100); Sam Bloomfield (prior to 1979); via Abe Kosoff, circa 1970.
Note: Saint-Gaudens's designs did not lend themselves technically to the polishing of the dies as had the earlier designs that they replaced, so the concept of a brilliant or cameo proof was never seriously considered.
One of the primary reasons for the popularity of the matte finish (however short-lived it might have been) was that the finish removed any reflective surface, so the engraved details did not have to compete with uncontrolled light sources to be seen and appreciated to their full potential. Unlike traditional proofs, neither the dies nor the planchets were polished. The planchets were, however, selected for their high quality (although some examples slipped through and can exhibit tiny flaws) and they were struck on the hydraulic press (used for medals). The struck coins were then subjected to a fine stream of sand at high velocity, which is why they are quite properly referred to by some as sandblast proofs (although the official Mint term for the finish was simply "dull").
The results were inconsistent (which today is part of their allure); the color of the coins could be highly variable, as could the fineness or coarseness of the surface (1914 proofs as a rule are more granular than some other years), but the finish's fatal flaw was the extremely delicacy of the completed product, which could be spoiled by the slightest mishandling or friction. This is not the case with this superb example.
23 September 2013, 10:00 PDT
Los AngelesSold for US$81,900 inc. premium
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1914 $10 PF-67 NGC
Augustus Saint-Gaudens, designer; Henry Hering modeler; modified by Charles Barber
Obverse: Head of Liberty left, wearing feathered war bonnet; the band inscribed: LIBERTY. Thirteen stars above; below bust: 1914.
Reverse: Eagle standing left on bundle of arrows entwined with a laurel branch; above, UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA; below, TEN•DOLLARS; to left, IN / GOD WE / TRUST, in three lines; to right, E / PLURIBUS / UNUM, in three lines.
Edge: Forty-eight stars.
Condition: NGC Proof 67 (Certificate number: 1963253-012 – Photo Proof 10-07; previous Photo Proof 01-07 [number 1741227-027]).
An exceptional example. Medium khaki in color with more tightly grained surfaces than are usually encountered with this date. A small mint-caused inclusion above the motto, near the base of the E of UNITED identifies this coin as the Bloomfield piece.
References: Breen (Encyclopedia) 7124; Breen (Proofs) p. 216; Akers (1980) p. 287-288; Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia) p. 421; United States Mint, Operating Records, "Medal Book," 1906-1916, NARA, Philadelphia. (PCGS 8896)
Condition Census: Among the finest known. NGC lists a total of seven pieces this level and only one finer; PCGS has graded no examples nearly this fine (Proof 65+ the finest). This coin comes from the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection which attests to its perfection. According to that auction catalogue, Bloomfield was a stickler for grade before it was popular. He assembled two sets of matte proofs through Abe Kosoff, and his "A" set was sold by Sotheby's in 1996. That sale also included the finest of all Ultra-High relief double eagles, as well as two of the finest seen Gold Rush $50 slugs. (07-13)
Rarity: Extremely rare by any standard. According to Mint records in the National Archives thirty-five 1914 proof eagles each were struck on two days (in September and November), and of these 70 struck, only 50 were accepted by the coiner. Unlike some of the other dates (noted above) this figure agrees with that published in all standard works of reference and is the lowest mintage of any of the Matte proof eagle series. Garrett and Guth consider this to be the "fourth-scarcest issue" of the series and David Akers felt a survival of half or slightly less was probable.
Provenance: Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection, Sotheby's, December 16, 1996, lot 54, "exceedingly attractive" ($34,100); Sam Bloomfield (prior to 1979); via Abe Kosoff, circa 1970.
Note: Saint-Gaudens's designs did not lend themselves technically to the polishing of the dies as had the earlier designs that they replaced, so the concept of a brilliant or cameo proof was never seriously considered.
One of the primary reasons for the popularity of the matte finish (however short-lived it might have been) was that the finish removed any reflective surface, so the engraved details did not have to compete with uncontrolled light sources to be seen and appreciated to their full potential. Unlike traditional proofs, neither the dies nor the planchets were polished. The planchets were, however, selected for their high quality (although some examples slipped through and can exhibit tiny flaws) and they were struck on the hydraulic press (used for medals). The struck coins were then subjected to a fine stream of sand at high velocity, which is why they are quite properly referred to by some as sandblast proofs (although the official Mint term for the finish was simply "dull").
The results were inconsistent (which today is part of their allure); the color of the coins could be highly variable, as could the fineness or coarseness of the surface (1914 proofs as a rule are more granular than some other years), but the finish's fatal flaw was the extremely delicacy of the completed product, which could be spoiled by the slightest mishandling or friction. This is not the case with this superb example.
Obverse: Head of Liberty left, wearing feathered war bonnet; the band inscribed: LIBERTY. Thirteen stars above; below bust: 1914.
Reverse: Eagle standing left on bundle of arrows entwined with a laurel branch; above, UNITED•STATES•OF•AMERICA; below, TEN•DOLLARS; to left, IN / GOD WE / TRUST, in three lines; to right, E / PLURIBUS / UNUM, in three lines.
Edge: Forty-eight stars.
Condition: NGC Proof 67 (Certificate number: 1963253-012 – Photo Proof 10-07; previous Photo Proof 01-07 [number 1741227-027]).
An exceptional example. Medium khaki in color with more tightly grained surfaces than are usually encountered with this date. A small mint-caused inclusion above the motto, near the base of the E of UNITED identifies this coin as the Bloomfield piece.
References: Breen (Encyclopedia) 7124; Breen (Proofs) p. 216; Akers (1980) p. 287-288; Garrett & Guth (Encyclopedia) p. 421; United States Mint, Operating Records, "Medal Book," 1906-1916, NARA, Philadelphia. (PCGS 8896)
Condition Census: Among the finest known. NGC lists a total of seven pieces this level and only one finer; PCGS has graded no examples nearly this fine (Proof 65+ the finest). This coin comes from the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection which attests to its perfection. According to that auction catalogue, Bloomfield was a stickler for grade before it was popular. He assembled two sets of matte proofs through Abe Kosoff, and his "A" set was sold by Sotheby's in 1996. That sale also included the finest of all Ultra-High relief double eagles, as well as two of the finest seen Gold Rush $50 slugs. (07-13)
Rarity: Extremely rare by any standard. According to Mint records in the National Archives thirty-five 1914 proof eagles each were struck on two days (in September and November), and of these 70 struck, only 50 were accepted by the coiner. Unlike some of the other dates (noted above) this figure agrees with that published in all standard works of reference and is the lowest mintage of any of the Matte proof eagle series. Garrett and Guth consider this to be the "fourth-scarcest issue" of the series and David Akers felt a survival of half or slightly less was probable.
Provenance: Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation Collection, Sotheby's, December 16, 1996, lot 54, "exceedingly attractive" ($34,100); Sam Bloomfield (prior to 1979); via Abe Kosoff, circa 1970.
Note: Saint-Gaudens's designs did not lend themselves technically to the polishing of the dies as had the earlier designs that they replaced, so the concept of a brilliant or cameo proof was never seriously considered.
One of the primary reasons for the popularity of the matte finish (however short-lived it might have been) was that the finish removed any reflective surface, so the engraved details did not have to compete with uncontrolled light sources to be seen and appreciated to their full potential. Unlike traditional proofs, neither the dies nor the planchets were polished. The planchets were, however, selected for their high quality (although some examples slipped through and can exhibit tiny flaws) and they were struck on the hydraulic press (used for medals). The struck coins were then subjected to a fine stream of sand at high velocity, which is why they are quite properly referred to by some as sandblast proofs (although the official Mint term for the finish was simply "dull").
The results were inconsistent (which today is part of their allure); the color of the coins could be highly variable, as could the fineness or coarseness of the surface (1914 proofs as a rule are more granular than some other years), but the finish's fatal flaw was the extremely delicacy of the completed product, which could be spoiled by the slightest mishandling or friction. This is not the case with this superb example.