1799 $10 Large Obverse Stars MS(PCGS#8562)

1799 $10 Large Obverse Stars MS (PCGS#8562)

November 2025 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: BD Die State a/a. An unusually attractive early eagle at the certified EF-40 grade level, this piece benefits greatly from vivid reddish-rose toning on otherwise deep honey-gold surfaces. Overall light wear is noted, with evidence of strike softness to the bottom of Liberty's portrait and several of the obverse stars, but in general this is a boldly defined early eagle for the grade. Glossiness to the texture is noted for accuracy, as is a shallow reverse cut through the top of the shield at left.<p>Of the ten different 1799 die pairs identified by Bass and Dannreuther, only two used the same Large Stars obverse die. The reverse die proved to be resilient as not only was it able to coin an estimated 12,500 to 17,500 eagles in 1799, it was also used to strike the entirety of the 1800 eagle mintage as well as a few thousand eagles in 1801. Often considered one of the most available of the Heraldic Eagle $10 gold pieces, the 1799 BD-10 variety should be examined in the context of the entire series, which is challenging overall. Many serious collectors are content with adding just a single specimen to represent the type, which makes the BD-10 even more desirable.