This is a nicely struck piece with bold denticulation encircling devices that are mostly sharply to fully defined. The surfaces have a curious chrome-like sheen explaining the stated qualifier, with golden yellow patina that is a bit too bright, yet still attractive. An impressive provenance further enhances the appeal of this more affordable survivor from one of the rarer dates in the short-lived Capped Bust Right, Small Eagle ten-dollar series of 1795 to 1797. BD Die State b/b.Few early Federal coins are as impressive as the Small Eagle reverse $10 gold pieces. Even though the $10 gold piece was specified in the original Mint Act of 1792, it was not until 1795 that the eagle was introduced. Robert Scots enchanting if a bit scrawny eagle in a naturalistic pose holding a wreath in its beak is an elegant example of early Federal artistry. However, the Small Eagle reverse was only employed for three years before being replaced by the larger and much more dramatic Heraldic Eagle. While it is known that the 1797 eagle has the lowest mintage figure of the three years the Small Eagle design was employed, the precise number of coins struck is the subject of much debate. The widely quoted mintage of 3,615 pieces seems rather high given the paucity of surviving specimens. The entire production of 1797 Small Eagle $10 coins used a single die pair employing a reverse die that also saw use striking the 1796-dated eagles. Only through detailed and rather involved die state analysis, it has been determined that some of the 1796 eagles were actually minted before the 1797-dated pieces, followed afterwards by a resumption of production of 1796 coins. This sequence of events would infer that some of the 1796-dated eagles should be included in the reported mintage for 1797 and the more likely number of 1797 Small Eagle coins produced is closer to 1,250 pieces. By any reckoning, all 1797 Small Eagle $10 gold pieces are rare regardless of condition and given an estimate of 55 to 65 surviving examples, opportunities for early gold specialists to add one to their holdings are fleeting. Worthy of careful consideration.,,PCGS# 8555. NGC ID: 25ZX.,,Ex Hilt Collection, the obverse pictured in Plate II of the eagle section of the 1980 reference <em>Die Varieties of Early United States Coins</em> by Robert P. Hilt, II.
