1909-D $10 (Regular Strike)

David Akers (1975/88): The 1909-D is one of the most underrated issues of the series, and it is actually one of the rarest in an absolute sense. Even in MS-60 this issue is very rare and in MS-63 or MS-64 condition, it can be located only with great difficulty. I have seen approximately eight to 10 true gems, with the possibly the finest being the two MS-65+ specimens that are now in my personal collection, although the example owned by a prominent Eastern collector and the lustrous Norweb specimen are essentially their equal. The Eliasberg coin now owned by Dr. Steven Duckor is another gem as is a piece I purchased in 1986 from dealer Jay Miller and sold to Dr. Thaine Price.

The 1909-D is nearly always sharply struck and is usually frosty with very finely granular surfaces, although some specimens are quite satiny. The color is typically light orange or coppery with highlights of greenish gold. The lustre is generally only average or slightly below average for the series; one rarely sees a radiantly lustrous 1909-D, or even one with as much lustre as a typical 1908-D With Motto, although a few (cf. the Norweb specimen) do have excellent lustre.

Ron Guth:

The 1909-D $10 Indian is only semi-scarce but it is quite difficult to locate a Gem example without breaking the bank. The number of Gems known to Akers reflects what is known today -- that only a handful of coins qualify at the MS66 and better levels. Akers enumerated several pieces in his earlier write-ups, and all of those had withstood the test of time. He mentioned two MS65+ examples in his personal collection, and we're not sure what happened to them, but we can expect them to be extraordinary considering his accurate (if not conservative) grading. In top grades, the 1909-D has proven to be a six-figure coin -- an acknowledgement of the extreme popularity of this series.