1852 1852/1 Augustus Humbert Gold Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$43,200 AU58 01-14-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1852 Augustus Humbert ten-dollar gold piece with the 1852/1 overdate is a fascinating transitional issue. The overdate was created when an 1851-dated die was modified by re-punching the final digit from 1 to 2, a common practice in 19th-century coinage that conserved expensive die steel. By 1852, the Humbert operation had expanded beyond fifty-dollar slugs to produce smaller denominations more suitable for everyday transactions. The ten-dollar eagle was far more practical for retail commerce than the massive fifty-dollar pieces. The overdate documents continuity of die usage from 1851 into 1852 and provides evidence that the assay office’s die inventory was managed pragmatically.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The 1852/1 overdate adds significant numismatic interest. Approximately 40-70 examples are known.

Cross References

K-11 (Kagin); PCGS #10190; NGC #31096; Augustus Humbert, U.S. Assay Office; 1852/1 overdate