A condition rarity from Canada’s first gold coin issue, a 1912 $10 specimen is expected to hammer down for more than $30,000 at an auction south of the border this August.
It’s described as “virtually perfect,” carrying a grade of Specimen-69 from Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), and it’s the best example offered in Heritage Auctions’ nearly 50-year history.
“The 1912 Canadian specimens are comparably more obtainable than most other years; yet when encountered in this elite preservation, their rarity increases tenfold as does their appeal to grade-conscious collectors,” added auctioneers with the Texas-based firm.
Struck at what was then known as the Ottawa Mint, the example ranks among the top-graded pieces.
Struck at what was then known as the Ottawa Mint, the example ranks among the top-graded pieces “of not only this issue, but of the entirety of the vintage Canadian series, a feat accomplished by so few representatives across all denominations and dates.”
The coin’s actual gold weight is 0.4837 ounces, and gold’s one-ounce spot price sat at $1,803 US (about $2,303 Cdn.) as of Aug. 12. The coin carries an estimate of $15,000–$20,000 US (about $19,150-$25,550 Cdn.), but almost two weeks before the sale, its top bid already hit $26,000 US (about $33,200 Cdn.), excluding buyer’s premium.
It crosses the block on Aug. 25 as part of a three-day sale in partnership with the World’s Fair of Money, the annual convention of the American Numismatic Association. Another 20 Canadian lots will be offered among 1,833 world coins.