A superb specimen in every way!

This rare wire edge 1907 No Motto $10 Indian is absolutely superb! The overall eye appeal leaves us wondering why this coin has not been certified as a gem quality MS65. It is exceptionally well-struck in a lovely yellow gold color and its technical merit is outstanding. All of the details on the obverse and reverse are full and well-defined. One very small light scuff or contact mark appears on the obverse, below and to the right of the eye, near the hair. The reverse shows a few very light hairline marks on the eagle's wing. But all of these marks are evident only after very careful and persistent critical examination.

Called upon by Theodore Roosevelt in his quest to redesign the nation's coinage, renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens originally designed the $10 Indian, as well as the $20 gold piece that now carries his name. What no one knew at the time was that Saint-Gaudens would not live to see his design for the $10 Indian fully realized. After Saint-Gaudens death in late 1907, chief U.S. Mint designer Charles E. Barber modified his original design in ways that substantially diminished its visual impact. As noted by famous numismatic expert Walter Breen, Saint-Gaudens' standing-eagle device is splendid in its original form, reminiscent of late Egyptian and early Roman work at its best. But it may be seen in its original conception only in rare experimental pieces. The very first of these, the wire edge $10 Indians, are the only available gold $10's showing the Saint-Gaudens design in anywhere near its pristine splendor. The original mintage for this unusual and historic coin was 500, which included 50 proofs. Two of these were officially melted down.

We have seen two other wire edge $10 Indians on the market in the last 30 days. One is a PCGS specimen held by a prominient east coast numismatist. In our opinion, the NGC specimen we are offering has much better technical merit and overall eye appeal than the PCGS MS64 specimen. The PCGS specimen is presently available for about $1000 less than this coin--which makes our coin a true bargain. We have also seen an NGC certified MS66 specimen, which in our opinion is overgraded by one full point and still does not have the eye appeal of this coin, as unusuall as that might seem. This NGC MS66 specimen is currently available for almost three times the price of our stunning MS64 specimen.

Please note: The tiny spot appearing in the photo on the reverse, just to the left of the eagle, is on the NGC holder and NOT on the coin!