Owner Comments:
1877 10C Sailor Head Ten Cents,
Judd-1498, Pollock-1651
Rarity: Low R.7, PR64 Brown
Ex Simpson
Struck in Copper with Reeded Edge
Obverse: Bust of Liberty facing left with 13 stars surrounding and the date below. Liberty is wearing a coronet with LIBRTY inscribed on it and her hair is tied back with a ribbon.
Reverse: Uses the regular issue dies of the year.
Comment:
Only eight examples are believed known of this rare pattern, and at least two of those are silver-plated. The coin is technically illegal as UNITED STATES OF AMERICA does not appear on either side. The portrait was designed by William Barber and is similar to the Sailor Head design made famous two years earlier, but with smaller lettering on the coronet and lacking the so-called sailor collar.
This piece is needle-sharp specimen with vivid oranges, ruby-red, aquamarine, and electric-blue hues. An important, pedigreed example of this notable pattern.
In the Bowers and Merena 11/16/88 The David B. Silberman, Jr. Collection catalog Lot 5406 was a PF60 specimen but note worthy was they listed the only pieces they had traced at that time as:
“The following specimens are traced:
1) This example. Purchased from Stack's, May 1968. {[that being the PF60 Lot 5405]
2) The specimen in our sale of the River Oaks Collection, November 1976, Lot 945.
3) The coin in New England Rare Coin Auction's Metro sale, March 1978, Lot 528.
4) The example in our sale of the Sieck Collection, July 1981,
Lot 113, previously from our sale of the Terrell Collection, May 1973. - [possibly this piece]
5) The piece in Superior's sale of the Munoz Collection, Part III June 1981, Lot 3 "
Currently USPatterns.com photo library shows 9 pieces (2 being silver plated) with a note that one might be one of the others.
Noting about 36 Appearances between 1977 and 2022 … this piece was at auction 12 times representing about 1/3 of the appearances
Provenance/Appearances:
Private Sale Dec 2020; prior
- Bowers and Merena sale of the Sieck Collection, July 1981, Lot 113*, & thus prior
- Terrell Collection, May 1973 / Lot 982
- Superior Sept 1988 Lot 2558
- The William W. Moore Collection 3/17/1992 Stacks-Bowers / Lot 1674;
- Superior Feb 1997 (Gainsborough II Sale) / Lot #2650
- Heritage 1/8/1999 FUN 99 Orlando /Lot #7569;
- ANR Classic Sale July 2003 /Lot #1024
- ANR Classic Sale Jan 2004 /Lot #38
- Heritage Aug 2004 ANA /lot 8007 (Passed);
- Heritage Sept 2004 Internet /lot 13406 (Passed);
- ANR Jan 2006 (The Robert Michael Prescott Collection) Sale /Lot 890 as PCGS PF64BN (Passed);
- Heritage Jan 2007 FUN Signature /Lot 1534; (Passed)
- Bob Simpson Collection, Part I Heritage 8/2010 Los Angeles / lot 5716 ($6,325) (as NGC64BN);
- Heritage Jan 2013 FUN - Orlando / Lot #6740 ($5875)
* Bowers and Merena sale of the Sieck Collection, July 1981, Lot 113, – This piece was Graded PF60 and descried “…Not in full brilliance. Surfaces tones to cent brown, with much original mint red remaining … “