1883 10C Hawaii MS(PCGS#10979)

The November 2012 Baltimore Auction

Auctioneer

Stack's Bowers

Lot Number

3228

Grade

MS66+

Price

4,994

Lot Description

Incredible Gem Mint State 1883 Hawaiian Dime 1883 Hawaii Ten Cents. Medcalf-Russell 2CS-1. MS-66+ (NGC). CAC. Amazing quality in technical terms and the finest seen by NGC of this issue which is more than enough in an of itself. However, notice the glorious gunmetal-blue and green shades of toning which flash with russet-crimson in areas as well with this elegant and colorful array extending over both sides. Lustrous beneath, and the surfaces are satin smooth with nary a nick or mark to be found. PCGS for all their years of grading coins reports just a single example at the top of their Population Reportas MS-67, with none seen at the MS-66+ level. Therefore, the present coin is likely one of the two finest known of this issue. Furthermore there are not quite 1,000 Hawaiian dimes graded between both NGC and PCGS, a small number given the reported mintage of approximately 250,000 pieces. What happened to the rest? Most likely they were melted long ago and no longer exist in any quantity. A memorable example of this issue, and clearly one of the very finest to survive in such a lofty grade. PCGS# 10979. NGC Census: 1; none finer.