Lot 1541
1876 $10 Liberty. NGC graded AU-55. Very rare date. Lightly toned with semi reflective surfaces. In a new 4 prong holder. One of only 687 business strikes made for the year, certainly fewer than 20 survive in all grades, this is among the choicer business strikes. Only a single Mint State example (MS61) has been graded by either service. The lightly toned fields show the typical signs of contact from circulation, with some slight reflective quality is retained near the devices. There are a couple of chattermarks near the eye which will serve to identify this coin. It is surprising that this centennial year is so poorly represented by this denomination, apparently the mints experienced demand for double eagles and silver Trade dollars and minor silver coins for production, but not $10 Eagles. Pop 4; 4 finer in 58. (PCGS # 8674) .
Historic note of the 1876 Centennial: One of the high spots of the Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1876 was the starting of the great 70-foot-tall Corliss steam engine, the wonder of the day, which turned the machinery in Machinery Hall. Dom Pedro, the emperor of Brazil, accompanied by President Ulysses S. Grant, turned on the power which put the huge machine in motion. It was purchaed by the Pullman (railway) Company following the close of the Exposition and for many years ran in its plant at Chicago. Built by George Corliss, it was the largest steam engine in the world. Of engines like the Corliss, William Dean Howells wrote, "In these things of iron and steel the national genius speaks."
Estimated Value $20,000 - 22,000.
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| Realized $18,975 |
