"1849" Templeton Reid Fantasy $10. K-1a. Rarity-8. Copper. Plain Edge--Overstruck on an 1853 Braided Hair Cent--MS-64 BN (NGC).

Medallic alignment. Deep golden-brown with much mint red in the protected areas, the only marks of note are some radial planchet cracks probably imparted by the force of the blows required to strike the overtype. Overstruck on an 1853 large cent host, with the date just barely discernible after careful study, and reverse details of the host bolder overall. A rare prize, indeed. Similar to another example that appeared in our (Bowers and Ruddy's) sale of the Henry Clifford Collection, March 1982, lot 2, which was the same design struck over a Draped Bust large cent. This example is far superior in condition to the Clifford specimen. It is the first seen by the present writer (JLA) and a piece that should prove intriguing to private gold specialists and large cent aficionados alike. The 1981 Kagin reference on private and Territorial gold coins notes: "All copper and nickel $10 and $25 pieces were struck from 'contemporary' dies made for Reid and purchased by John Haseltine in the 1870s or 1880s. The dies were presumably never used by Haseltine but were later purchased by Stephen Nagy of Philadelphia who had impressions made from them."

From our (Stack's) Collection of Samuel J. Berngard and Treasure Coins of the S.S. New York sale, July 2008, lot 2179.