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 Replies: 10 / Views: 15,746 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
I'm new here, and this is my first post, so please fogive me if I neglect to adhere to any rules. I was recently given a box of random old and foreign coins. My son and I are thoroughly enjoying sorting through them. There is one in particular that I'm having trouble identifying through Google. There isn't much identifying information on the coin itself. I believe it may be a token to commemorate a world's fair or something. Can anyone help me learn about the history/rarity of this particular token? Pictures below. The macro mode on my camera isn't very good, so I apologize for the lack of clarity.   Thanks in advance for the help! Edited by Sap
06/05/2008 09:32 am
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
No idea on this series but normally a bear on a gold coin means it's fake. But they are still collectable
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1208 Posts |
California gold tokens were made before the US put
a mint out there to make gold coins. They had too
much raw gold, but no coinage to spend it easily.
That said, 1915 was WAY AFTER that time period.
So there is no reason to have a California gold token
by that time.
There is nothing to suggest any commemorative there.
Looks to me like it was either minted from gold out
of Eureka, Kalifornia... OR is a fake attempt to look
like a real Kalifornia gold token from earlier times.
Makes sense about the bear... Never heard that, but if
you think about it, Kali wasn't a state when they were
making tokens, so there would be no state symbol of a
bear at the time.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2540 Posts |
Probably related to the 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo in California.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1415 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
Probably related to the 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo in California. That is exactly what I was thinking- a souvenir reproduction from the Pan-Pac Expo. Probably not gold, possibly gold-plated though. |
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
According to Breen And Gillio California Pioneer Fractional Gold on page 39 it mentions modern gold tokens of "significant value" called "Coins of the Golden West". This series was issued by the M.E. Hart Co. in 1915...only 12 of these purport to be from California. One of the dates mentioned was 1915. This bear is not like the bear on the modern cal gold tokens that were made of gilt brass, brass or brass plated zinc. This bear is the bear found on 19th and 20th century gold tokens. I am looking at a few now but none of them have the denomination as a "ONE". I see the 1/2 over the bear with the obverse looking much like your coin other than the 1/2 in place of the ONE. Hope this helps...
mtnboy1954
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Valued Member
United States
405 Posts |
Kinda looks like this 1850 coin I have....although I dont have much more to add than you already have!...Except that this one was definately gold plated at one time...a lot of the plating has worn off   Edited by Mr Finger
06/19/2008 8:24 pm
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
This token is now listed in the "Red Book." This is indeed one of Hart's "Coins of the Golden West." The hobby luminary, Farran Zerbe, sold these from the US Mint booth at the 1915 Pan-Pac Exposition. Realistically, worth at least $100 and possibly as much as $500.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
 Thanks for that info atlascoins! That must be a recent addition to the Redbook(pg 379 in 2009) as it was not in my last edition(2007). So my assumption about a souvenir at Pan-Pac was correct but I had no idea Farran Zerbe was involved, quite interesting. If this coin is indeed from that series, it probably is gold then  Edited by biokemist6
06/20/2008 2:11 pm
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New Member
 United States
2 Posts |
Thanks a lot for the information. You guys are pretty knowledgeable. I'm impressed, and appreciate the help.
Heading off to Google some of the names/events mentioned in this thread to learn a bit more about the history of the token.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 15,746 |
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Posted 05/30/2008 10:07 pm
