1908 $10 Indian. With motto. NGC graded Proof 67. NGC serial #1847586-002. Well struck and choice. Only 116 Proofs struck in total. In the first year the matte finish in this large $10 format is moderately sandblasted. With a glass, we cannot find a single fault on the portrait of Liberty or the feathers of the eagle; everywhere is pristine, indeed as made, for all intents and purposes, and therefore virtually perfect. This, the Proof 67 of Proof 67s, is grade for grade one of the more impressive coins around, one which stands on the shoulders above all others in its class.
The mint struck and sold very few Proofs of this denomination gold coin in 1908. All were issued with the IN GOD WE TRUST motto on the reverse below the eagle's breast. Congress had listened to the criticism given the 1907 No Motto coins and had taken action over the objection of President Roosevelt who was the man responsible for eliminating the motto in the first place. By 1908, the designer Augustus Saint-Gaudens was dead, so he played no part in the proceedings. This piece very closely resembles the lower denomination Proofs of 1908, $2.50 and $5, as well as the $20 gold higher denomination, which have a coarse-grain sandblast surface. Even though these are deeper in hue than seen on 1909 and 1910 issues, there is a considerable sparkle in the sandblast texture that is visible when under a low-power magnifying glass. Pop 9; 2 finer in 68.