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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,815 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
719 Posts |
I'm a 4th grade teacher in Southern California. Our social studies curriculum is California history so of course the California Gold Rush is covered. I've wanted to acquire a gold coin with gold that was from the gold rush, but am uncertain how to best do that. I assume that any gold coinage out of the San Francisco mint in the 1850's and for several decades beyond would be a pretty sure bet. How about other mints at that time period? would they also be using California gold most likely/assuredly?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4911 Posts |
From what I understand the miners would bring in their gold and the mint would strike the gold into double eagles for them so I would say to get one from the time the rush started to when it ended, no earlier and not much later just to make sure.
The story above is something I recall reading here a while ago
Feel free to call me Will.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4409 Posts |
Philadelphia, New Orleans, Charlotte and Dahlonega were in operation at the time in addition to San Francisco.
A coin from Philadelphia is going to be the easiest to acquire out of all the mints. New Orleans or San Francisco might be slightly tougher than Philadelphia but easier than Charlotte or Dahlonega.
I'd stick to a $2.5 or $5 as those are big enough to see the design but still affordable.
What kind of price range are you thinking?
-MV
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Pillar of the Community
Korea, Republic Of
1881 Posts |
If you are looking to buy one that will be used for a class, I reccomend a gold dollar. Sure, the $2.5s and $5s will be good too. But they cost a couple hundred dollars, even just the gold value in the coin is worth a pretty penny. A gold dollar should be good---1850s dates can be aquired for as low as $100 or so in lower grades and problem coins. They can be easily bought for like, $200 or so if you are looking for nicer coins. It is a nice, small coin that would amaze the students.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
While the other mints were open, there is no guarantee that any given gold coin from the non-San Francisco mints was made using California gold. If you stick with the S mint you can be fairly sure it is CA gold. I'd probably go with an 1856 or 57 quarter eagle or an 1856 half eagle. The S mint didn't open until 1854 and anything before 1856 tends to be too scarce. Later issues and you are starting to get too far away from the "Gold rush" era. These three issues have high enough mintages that they are pretty much considered to be "common date" issues, especially the 56 S half eagle with a mintage over 100K.
The 56 and 57 S double eagles are also "common date" coins but now you are talking a lot of money simply because of the amount of gold in the coin.
One nice thing is you don't have to buy high grade coins to impress the students. In fact they might be MORE impressed by a worn coin that actually saw use in gold rush California and which they can actually hold in their own hands. A direct physical connection between them and the time and place. This coin you are holding was actually used by real people in California during the gold rush era.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4409 Posts |
Edited by MeadowviewCollector
04/30/2014 2:04 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
719 Posts |
I'd actually be looking for a non-slabbed coin as I'd like them to be able to hold it in their hands and get an idea as to the weight of the gold.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
Call your local coin shops and see if they have any VF or lower S-mint. Stack's Bowers Auction has one this Sunday. 1860S $2.50 VG-detail once mounted, should sell for under $300. The one on E-bay 1860s NGC VF-detail cleaned ends on Sunday at 1pm. current bid at $221 with 4bids. Crack these out and let them have at it. I have few coins that were from that time. From the SF mint paid $360  1885 Cal gold token priced under $100  1871 gold 50cent priced in the low $200  Good luck  |
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,815 |
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Posted 04/29/2014 10:26 pm
