 1907 Wire Rim, with Periods. Very Choice Brilliant Uncirculated, on the very cusp of fully Gem. This amazing coin shows the fin of extruded metal that forms the coveted Wire Rim variety, of which 500 were struck, some possibly as Proofs though these cannot be identified with precision today. This exceptionally small mintage resulted in such great rarity that Dr. J. Hewitt Judd called it a pattern (Judd 1775), though this rare type could in theory have circulated.
Testing these newly struck coins revealed that they would not stack to the satisfaction of bankers, and the absence of the traditional raised rim exposed the fields and devices to unprotected wear. In production it was found that the Wire Rim interfered with the ejection of newly struck coins from the 46-star collar and the dies.
This magnificently satin-gold example shows a surface anomaly below the date, which at first glance suggests a die crack or a shallow crease in the soft metal. This merely adds interest to what can only be called a splendid example of one of the great American Gold rarities.
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