1860 $10 Clark, Gruber & Co. MS(PCGS#10137)

The May 2013 ANA National Money Show

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1229

等级

AU53

价格

188,894

详细说明

1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $10 Gold. K-3. Rarity-5. AU-53 (PCGS). Of all territorial gold coins the Clark, Gruber &amp; Co. is one of the most historic and most desired today.<br /> <br /> The obverse design is of a rather fanciful view of Pike's Peak, a famous mountain about 70 miles to the south of Denver, overlooking the present city of Colorado Springs. The obverse legends state PIKE'S PEAK GOLD with the mountain at the center, just below in small letters is DENVER and at the base of the obverse is TEN D. The central device is an eagle with a shield, clutching an olive branch and arrows, much like that of the current Liberty eagle gold coin of the period. The fields retain some luster and show a delicate copper blush in areas. Scattered light handling marks and scuffs from brief circulation are present, but none of the marks are deep or detracting. The present coin will be a beautiful addition to an advanced collection.<br /> <br /> The <em>Rocky Mountain News</em>, July 25, 1860, described the Clark, Gruber &amp; Co. facility and the mintage of $10 coins:<br /> <br /> <em>&ldquo;[Upon] invitation we forthwith repaired to the elegant banking house of the firm&hellip;and were admitted to their coining room in the basement, where we found preparations almost complete for the issue of Pikes Peak coin. A hundred 'blanks' had been prepared, weight and fineness tested, and last manipulation gone through with prior to their passage through the stamping press. The little engine that drives the machinery was fired up, belts adjusted, and between 3 and 4 o'clock the machinery was put in motion and 'mint drop' of the value of $10 each began dropping into a tin pail with the most musical 'clink.' About $1,000 were turned out, at the rate of fifteen or twenty coins a minute, which was deemed satisfactory for the first equipment. The coins--of which none but $10 pieces are yet coined--are seventeen grains heavier than the United States coin of the same denomination.</em><br />