Cert # 448242-007

Coin Number 1

This is the most plentiful of the 1795 die pairings used for gold eagles, but this is a relative term given that only 225 to 325 pieces are known from these dies. Here is one of the absolute finest examples of this prized first year of issue, first year not only of the design, but these were the first $10 gold eagles produced by our Philadelphia Mint starting in 1795. This particular coin is the finest graded not only for the variety by NGC, but also the finest of the entire date and the only example to earn the full gem designation for its well preserved surfaces and glittering mint frost. The stirke is sharp on all the devices, and the surfaces are outstanding with just a few trivial signs of contact noted when closely examined with a loupe. Hints of adjustment marks are found when examining the dentils with a few traces of these on the central fields and devices, but these commonly seen file marks (done at the Mint to reduce the weight of the planchet) were nearly obliterated by the force of the strike.}The obverse depicts the bust of Liberty facing right, wearing a cap with her hair cascading down her back, one wayward curl wraps up around the front of her cap, and a large round curl is noted above her forehead. There are ten stars to the left and five to the right, with the word LIBERTY spelled out above and right, starting just past the peak of her cap. The date 1795 is below her draped bust. For the reverse a small eagle is found with wings outstretched, holding a small laurel wreath in his mouth. The eagle is perched on the stock of a palm branch with 13 leaves. The eagle is framed by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. No denomination is noted, as all gold coins of this era were traded by weight, once the fineness was determined by a merchant or banker. In this case the fineness of the gold was .9167 gold and .0833 copper with a mandated total weight of 17.5 grams.

Ex Gold Rush