1866 $10 Motto, DCAM PR(PCGS#98806)

1866 $10 Motto, DCAM PR (PCGS#98806)

Spring 2026 Showcase Auction U.S. Coins

Lot Description: This is a beautiful, vivid orange-gold 1866 eagle, a highly elusive classic Proof issue. The contrast between the deeply mirrored fields and frosty devices is as bold and pronounced as one should expect given the Ultra Cameo designation from NGC. The devices are fully impressed with razor sharp definition to even the most intricate features. Neither the aesthetic appeal of this coin nor its significance for the advanced gold enthusiast can be overstated.As the first Proof Liberty Head eagle of the Motto design, the 1866 is numismatically significant for type set purposes and as a great rarity in its own right. It is also a major rarity with a mintage of only 30 pieces. The nation was just beginning to heal from the Civil War, and most Americans had more important things than coin collecting to focus on during the Reconstruction era. As with most Proof gold issues of the 1860s, many of the Proof 1866 eagles produced were likely destroyed in the Mint when they failed to find buyers. Exactly how many of the 30 coins struck were actually distributed can never be known, although fewer than 20 are accounted for today. PCGS CoinFacts estimates that 10 to 15 are known, while John W. Dannreuther gives an even more conservative estimate of just 10 to 12 in the 2018 volume in his United States Proof Coins reference series. The present specimen, an undeniable rarity, would make an impressive addition to even the finest gold cabinet.