1870 Proof Eagle Pattern - J-1037

Coin Details

Description

Completing the eagle pattern quartet, J-1037 was struck in nickel from the regular ten dollar dies. Pure nickel's exceptional hardness meant that the dies — originally designed and tempered for gold's relatively soft and malleable properties — were subjected to considerably greater stress during striking. The resulting impressions typically show remarkably crisp detail, with the eagle's wing feathers and Liberty's coronet rendered with an almost mechanical precision that differs in character from the smoother flow achieved in gold or copper. This nickel eagle is among the rarest pieces in the 1870 gold denomination pattern series.

Rarity Notes

R-8. Very rare to unique, estimated 2-3 examples survive.

Cross References

Judd-1037, Pollock-1172