1852 Wass, Molitor & Co. $10. K-4. Rarity-5. Large Head, Wide Uneven Date. AU-50 (NGC). Lovely even yellow gold coloration blends into darker olive-khaki towards the peripheries. The surfaces, while lightly marked as may be expected for the grade, show no serious defects or damage providing an overall pleasing appearance. Softly struck, typical of the variety, all the essential details are readily apparent and even the dramatic and endearing network of die breaks on both the obverse and reverse are clear. A large break on the reverse runs from the left border piercing the eagles left wing and finally connecting to the C in CALIFORNIA, in addition to a series of smaller breaks and chips connecting all of the letters. A wondrous example of a historic issue with an intriguing story to tell.After forming their partnership in 1851, Count Samuel C. Wass and Agoston P. Molitor had quickly established themselves as excellent metallurgists and assayers and their coins were accepted in commerce with little issue. In an era where it was customary to assay and process gold ore in eight days, Wass, Molitor & Co. could do so with a two day turnaround, which no doubt served to encourage their customer base to grow. The firm produced three distinct varieties of 1852 $10 coins: Small Head, Large Head Wide Date, and finally the Large Head Close Date. While the Small Head 1852 $10 were struck using carefully repurposed Dubosq & Co. obverse and reverse dies from 1851, the 1852-dated Large Head Wide Date coins were struck from a different obverse die but paired with the same Dubosq reverse die as the Small Head pieces. The Large Head, Wide Date variety, as here, is one of the more available of the Wass, Molitor, & Co. coins and is a popular choice for collectors seeking an example of a coin from this highly respected firm.
