THE PLAIN EDGE 1907 WIRE RIM INDIAN EAGLE

During 33+ years as a full time professional numismatist, I have had the opportunity to examine and handle many of the most important rarities in the American series, including two Brasher doubloons, all five 1913 Liberty nickels, two 1894-S dimes, and four 1804 silver dollars. I have handled 80 of the 100 greatest U.S. coins according to the study published by Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth.

I had the pleasure of examining and researching a coin that I believe carries more numismatic and historical importance than any of those coins mentioned above, or any other coin that I have ever handled. It is the 1907 Wire Rim Indian eagle with a plain edge. Only two plain edge specimens were struck, and they were the first Indian eagles ever created, to fulfill the wish of a dying man.

Augustus Saint-Gaudens was near death in the middle of July 1907. Dies for the Indian eagles had already been created, but the collar containing 46 stars was not completed. For that reason, the two plain edge coins were minted, one was sent to President Theodore Roosevelt, and the other was sent to Saint-Gaudens. The sculptor passed away a couple weeks later on August 3.

Roger W. Burdette has traced the issue in his reference Renaissance of American Coinage 1905-1908 (Seneca Mill Press, LLC, 2006), and Michael F. Moran has also examined the issue in his 2008 reference Striking Change — The Great Collaboration of Theodore Roosevelt and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

This single coin seems to be the only coin of his own design that Saint-Gaudens ever saw in person.

This plain edge 1907 Wire Rim Indian eagle was offered for sale as lot 3561 in the Platinum Night session of Heritage’s 2010 ANA auction in Boston.

To view the auction lot description, see:
1907 $10 Wire Rim, Plain Edge, Judd-1902 (http://coins.ha.com/itm/proof-indian-eagles/1907-10-wire-rim-plain-edge-judd-1902-formerly-judd-1774a-pollock-1996-r8-pr62-ngc/a/1143-3561.s)

To read the complete article, see:
The Most Important Coin I’ve Ever Handled (www.coinweek.com/education/numismatic-history/important-coin-ive-ever-handled/)

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