1907 $10 WIRE EDGE MS64 PCGS CAC

The 1907 $10 Indian, Wire Rim, is one of the most historically significant and visually arresting gold coins ever produced by the U.S. Mint, showcasing Saint-Gaudens’ original high-relief vision for the denomination. With a mintage of just 500 and an estimated 450 survivors, it remains one of the most coveted 20th-century gold issues. The softly engraved detail of Liberty’s flowing hair and feathered headdress extends nearly to the planchet’s edge, evoking the style of ancient Greek coinage that inspired Saint-Gaudens’ artistry. However, the elevated relief and lack of a defined rim caused stacking difficulties, prompting Chief Engraver Charles Barber to create the Rolled Rim variant and eventually leading Henry Hering to reduce the relief entirely. Long believed to be mere patterns, Mint correspondence confirms these Wire Rim coins were deliberately struck for collectors to preserve the sculptor’s original design. President Theodore Roosevelt himself wrote in July 1907 that several hundred should be coined and “preserved as the work of a great American artist.” Of the 500 coins struck, an additional 42 were later produced; 70 were melted, leaving a net mintage of 472. This CAC-approved near-Gem, from The Monrovia Collection and sold for $84,000 on 01/15/23 HA, displays bold detail, rich satiny straw-gold color, and outstanding eye appeal, with only minimal abrasions visible. The obverse glows with warm, buttery yellow to golden-amber hues and sharply defined headdress feathers framed by a crisp wire rim, while the reverse shows a harmonious deep yellow-gold palette accented by honey and soft amber tones, intricate eagle feather detail, and polished, sharply incised lettering. PCGS Price Guide lists the issue at $95,000 with a population of 113/116, while CAC places it at $93,500 with a population of 24/20, underscoring its elite status among surviving examples.

Ex Monrovia Collection