1908 $10 Matte PR(PCGS#8890)

1908 $10 Matte PR (PCGS#8890)

Summer 2025 Global Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Losbeschreibung: The warm orange-gold complexion of this Ultra Gem Sandblast Proof is impressively uniform and unwavering, exhibiting the coarser glinting facets that this issue is known for. Scrutiny reveals effectively pristine surfaces on each side, certainly nearing perfection in many respects. Saint-Gaudens' legendary motifs are impressively rendered throughout, exhibiting the pinnacle of the intended design.<p>The 1908 Motto is the first regular issue Proof in the Indian eagle series. (A small number of patterns and experimental pieces are known from 1907; no Proofs of the No Motto type were struck in 1908.) The 1908, with a mintage of 116 pieces, enjoys a higher rate of survival than the following issues in this series, but many were not preserved by contemporary collectors. The dark sandblast finish proved unpopular with numismatists at the time these coins were produced, so much so that the Mint abandoned it in 1909 in favor of a more vibrant satin finish. Estimates on the number of Proof 1908 eagles extant vary from as low as 40 coins to as generous as 80 pieces. Our research indicates that the latter number is more accurate, yet still paltry in an absolute sense. Well preserved and supremely attractive, this alluring Ultra Gem would make an impressive addition to an advanced gold cabinet.