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 Replies: 18 / Views: 7,579 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
So, this was in the collection I inherited last year and I just threw it in my black cabinet as at first glance I thought fake although I'm not too familiar with cali gold. Well, a buddy recently bought a $600 pm tester (it has a pen that squirts a small amount of an inert fluid on the metal and the pen reads a signal and the machine tells you the karat if it's real) and let me barrow it to play around with. Turns out my cali gold piece tests at 6k-7k yellow gold. So, I still think it's a fake correct? Or is it a contemporary counterfit? Or, since no denomination, I think I remember a thread about cali gold tokens made of real gold if memory serves so if it is, is this a token that's cataloged? Anyway, curious what you guys think. Especially the cali gold or cali gold token experts (if we have any here) Thanks    |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Definitely not a fake correct.
It cannot even be considered to be a fake coin, because a fake is made to deceive; this piece is so different from a genuine coin that it seems that no attempt has been made to deceive.
More correctly termed a fantasy piece, that only vaguely resembles a genuine coin.
Very poorly made.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7390 Posts |
But made of actual gold sel. I'm thinking a token of some sort
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
Interesting piece... I'm sure it was a delightful surprise when you found out it was gold (although you could've use specific heat to find out sooner  )! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1499 Posts |
Are you sure it's gold with the green spots in hair behind the ear and in the "C" in "California" and between the "L" and "D" in "gold" on the reverse? It might be PVC, but if it isn't, it's not gold.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2189 Posts |
Looks like it was gold plated. Also looks like the gold plating has rubbed off all the high points of the device's & design such as the date,stars,etc exposing a different type of metal such as copper for the core. My guess would be 2 or 3 dollars in gold content.IMHO
Edited by jasper62
05/02/2016 8:43 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
This thing is accurate. It's 6-7k gold for sure. I tested it on both sides too. The green spots are verdigris as I'm guessing it's a high copper alloy mixed with the what 35% +/- gold content.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2189 Posts |
I'm sure the plating tested 6 or 7 k but it's still plated. It might have some value as a fantasy piece.
Edited by jasper62
05/02/2016 9:29 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
Maybe I guess. I mean it does look plated and high points rubbed. Now I should find a gold plated item to see what the tester says. Don't think I have any though
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
It's a token of some sort. The earliest genuine fractionals are dated 1852, and gold content is 14 karat or higher. There should be a denomination on the reverse. How much does it weigh? Real fractional dollars weigh about 1.0-1.2 grams, substantially less than US Mint gold dollars, and are also smaller. PCGS is a good place to see and learn about real fractionals. I recently got a damaged one of these: http://www.PCGScoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/10496"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
Gold karat weighting is a measurement of parts; e.g. 18 kt gold is an alloy of 18 / 6 gold to other metals. Below 10kt, cannot be legally referred to as "gold" when marketed or advertised.
When copper is used as the alloy, it reddens gold, and on coins, the copper in the gold alloy can leave reddish copper spots. The original US early gold was 22/1/1 gold/silver/copper but never more than 1 part silver. After 1840 it was .900 fine or 90% gold / 10% copper.
Your "California" dated 1849 is a giveaway that points to an 1880 or later origin, perhaps as late as 1910. The metal is most likely rolled gold filled (plated) brass. The thickness of your piece is also a giveaway to its origins as a "jeweler's piece". The original fractional gold 25c / 50c issues (not issued until the early 1850s) are as thin as a US 3 Cent Silver piece, and easily bendable if not careful. 1849 is considered the start of the Gold Rush so it was a popular date to put on the tokens. Many of these tokens did have a degree of real gold used, 6-7 kt is inline with others.
There is an active market for collecting these tokens, with many designs and low prices, as long as people advertise them for what they are.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
There are gold tokens made with that style liberty and wreath but in my experience this token has the look of being gold plated. You can see the plating rubbing off and the dull yellow color. This is probably thick in diamater too. The gold tokens of this variety I have found are 10kt and very thin. Plated are gold plating over a copper core. That brown look on the high points of the coin is plating that rubbed off. You can easily distuingish gold tokens just from the look if you handeled many of these.
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New Member
United States
13 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
These pieces are often made by jewelers for jewelry purposes, and thus are often termed as
'jewelers copies'. Usually found on charm bracelets, etc.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
These pieces have been made for the last 150 years as souvenirs. For the first 30-40 years - up until 1880 - they are highly collectable. But most of them are like these 1849 pieces, made from low karat gold plated brass. They're worth $5-10 at most. The seller's $150 BIN price is silly. This seller is more realistic. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1849-CALIF...AOSwPchaC0I1"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
06/12/2019 10:53 am
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Replies: 18 / Views: 7,579 |
Posted 05/02/2016 8:08 pm
