1852 $10 California Gold Eagle - Wass Molitor & Co., Small Head PCGS VF35 Ex.SS Central America
SOLD
SKU
SSCA7116
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A very interesting description for this variety appeared in the December 2000 Christies auction catalog, lot 124. It states:
1852 Wass, Molitor $10 gold. K-3, B-7924. Long Neck, Large Close Date (Guide Book: “Small Head” Rarity-7. Light yellow gold. Attractive surfaces with some contact marks normal for the grade. Excellent eye appeal, and by any accounting a first-class example of this very rare issue. It is believed that fewer than a dozen are known to exist. The cataloger (QDB) has concluded the following scenario for the creation of the 1852 Wass, Molitor & Co. $10 dies used to strike this and other specimens of K-3, B-7924. Research is ongoing. This represents the first catalog publication of this information (this discovery was made on October 12, 2000):
A die transformed from Dubosq to Wass, Molitor:
Known information: 1850, the reverse die used to strike this coin was also used to mint Dubosq & Co. $10 gold coins (an example of which was offered earlier in the sale). This is been published earlier (e.g. Kagin and Breen texts).
New discovery: the obverse die used to strike the 1850 Dubosq $10 was changed to read W.M. & Co. on the coronet, by effacing the Dubosq & Co notation, thereby creating a deeper than usual recess on the coronet, and then re-punching in the present legend, W.M. & Co.
As a result the W.M. & Co. is on a raised background quite unlike any other issues in the series and also unlike federal coins. The 1850 Dubosq die attributed to Albrecht Kuner was created by hand punching the numerals 1,8,5 and 0 in that die. On the present die, 0 has been drilled out, and a "plug" with the "2" has been inserted, making it read "1852." So far is as known, this is the only instance in American pioneer gold coinage in which a die for one company or entity was changed in its inscriptions to be used for an unrelated company; moreover, the date was changed as well!
Estimate $20,000-$40,000
| PCGS # | 10345 |
|---|---|
| Grading Service | PCGS |
| Year of Issue | 1852 |
| Grade | VF35 |
| Denom Type | California Gold |
| Numeric Denomination | $10 |
| Mint Location | Private Issue |
| Designation | NONE |
| Circ/UnCirc | Circulated |
| Strike Type | Business |
| Holder Variety | Wass Molitor, Small Head (Kagin-3) |
| Grade Add On | NONE |
| Holder Type | SS Central America |
