A remarkable collection of U.S. gold coins from an unnamed Midwestern family that had been off the market for decades led Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers’ June 5 and 6 pre-Long Beach Auction in Los Angeles.

The collection was especially strong in 19th and early 20th century Coronet gold and Indian Head $2.50 quarter eagles, $5 half eagles and $10 eagles. Rounding out the group was a collection of gold commemorative coins that injected some excitement in the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo held later that week. 

Here is one of three gold coins from the collection we're profiling in this week's Market Analysis. 

The coin

1907 Indian Head, Rounded Rim, With Periods gold $10 eagle, MS-65+, CAC

The price

$376,000

The story

1907 marked a year of experimentation at the Philadelphia Mint as the $10 eagle and $20 double eagle by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens went into production. For the 1907 Indian Head eagle, several rim types were tested. Wire rim coins proved challenging to stack; a thicker rim lent itself to better stacking. Thousands were produced with a “rounded” or “rolled” rim, but quality concerns stopped production and most were melted.

COIN VALUES: How much is your 1907 Indian Head worth?

Just 42 examples were kept of the Rounded Rim type with triangular stops — or “periods,” as they are usually called in auction lot descriptions — before and after the words on the reverse. This issue is sometimes considered a pattern issue, but it is widely collected as an essential specialty subtype in the series. As the lot description observed, “The Rolled Edge coins are considered close to the original Saint-Gaudens design, with the minor addition of the rim, but their central striking softness became their undoing and provided an opportunity to make modifications to the details of the concept.” The Midwestern family’s example, graded PCGS MS-65+ CAC, sold for $376,000.

Keep reading this Market Analysis:

Market's second finest known 1909-O Indian Head gold half eagle brings $517,000

1933 gold coin that is not a double eagle approaches $1 million sale price

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