1/2 Pinch Alaska Gold 1900 (Improved Pictures)

@Keith67 that's my plan today. Stay tuned. Also, I didn't see a straightforward way to navigate to the PCGS page you found. I don't see a Miscellaneous category listed at the top level. But if I use it as a search term I can get there.




@-makecents- From what I've read on Mike Locke's calgoldcoin.com web site it seems like it was the wild wild west of coinage for these pieces in those days so it doesn't surprise me that there would be different designs with slight differences as well as copies made for souvenirs and such

Hopefully these pictures will make the grade





@Keith67 Any idea what the metal composition should be? I don't have XRF access but it would be nice to know in case I did get access. Also, is the weight about right for the real thing?

Thanks for checking it out Keith67

Part of a collection I acquired from a friend whose Dad had passed. I don't know how he came to have it. I keep a picture of the two of them with the collection as a reminder of where it came from. He was a railroad engineer.

I have to agree!
The die crack from the star to the rim below the 1on the obverse, as well as the tip of the L in ALASKA look like the same die pairings
Interesting that there is an obvious difference in the 2 die designs.
Your coin is in much better condition than the AU-55 PCGS plate coin!




A well paying job. Have you asked your friend if his Dad did routes to Alaska or near by?
I would be inclined to send this in to a TPG...most likely PCGS because they recognize this die pairing.
Very cool!
Let us know what you do.
Thanks for sharing!
smat

Good question smat45, I doubt it but I'll ask. From what I know he spent his life in New York. I think some of these things were sent back to friends and family as souvenirs. My friend (she) said she didn't know much about her Dad's coin collecting as I recall.




Thanks for the links. I had no idea. I think it's a little dicey sending things to the US from Canada these days. I'd probably wait until the climate on trade gets more predictable.

Appreciate the comments!

There were many brass copies made of these gold tokens. If I acquired one, the first thing I'd do would be to have it "shot" with an XRF analyzer gun to get a reading on the metallic content. Absent this, all else is meaningless speculation. Good luck!

Keep us posted.