1874 $10 J-1375, BN PR(PCGS#61679)

The Regency Auction 32

拍卖行

Legend Rare Coin Auctions

批号

632

等级

PR62BN

价格

141,452

详细说明

LRCA is pleased to offer an affordable grade example of this very important Pattern issue. The Bickford Eagle is one of the most historically interesting pattern issue of all the pattern series in the 1870s. Rarity-7-, with about a dozen known in all grades. Barber's head of Liberty faces left, wearing a starred coronet with LIBERTY. She wears a wreath of olive leaves on her neck. The reverse lists the denomination in six different international currencies, the weight, and fineness in the center with the world UBIQUE below. Struck in copper with a plain edge. After the Civil War, the American manufacturing economy grew, and with the increased trade, businessmen and politicians believed that a gold coin, that could be easily circulated internationally would help expand markets, and make it easy for international travelers to exchange currency. Around the same time France, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy struck gold coins that were all the same weight allowing for simplified cross border commerce. While traveling around Europe, Dana Bickford, came up with the idea of a coin that would be recognized and accepted not just in the Latin Monetary Union, but throughout Europe. His proposed design was for a $10 gold piece that contained 16.72 grams of 900 fine gold. The reverse design has the conversions into British, German, Swedish, Dutch, and Latin Union currencies. The term UBIQUE signifies that the coin would in theory would be ubiquitous and accepted every where. This (and other international gold coin) proposal never made it further than the pattern stage. These were struck in gold, copper, copper-gilt, aluminum, and nickel. All are RARE, though the copper, struck with both reeded and plain edges, are available on the market from time to time. The currently offered Bickford $10 is very pleasing, and will represent this important issue very nicely for any pattern collector. The surfaces show some minor traces of contact. Some traces of reflective fields survive in places. Mostly an even, milk chocolate brown coloration, there are splashes of lighter golden-rose. VERY RARE in all grades, and very rarely offered on the market, J-1375 appears about once a decade on average, the Reeded Edge, is much more available. PCGS 1, NGC 0, CAC 1. We cannot trace this coin to a prior auction. Many examples of this pattern were gilt, and the auction records are mixed with both gilt and non-gilt pieces. The last time we can trace a similar coin was an uncertified example sold in Stack's June 2003. The 10th Edition of Judd lists a $12,000 value in PR60 and $30,000 in PR63. Keep in mind that a GOLD striking is excessively rare with just two known and a seven-figure price tag. An attractive copper striking in this more modest grade is the ONLY way the vast majority of collectors can ever hope to own. Cert. Number 25799116 PCGS # 61679