BG- 408, 1853 California Gold Rush Circulating Fractional Gold 50C, Liberty Round PCGS MS63 R6

1853 California Gold Rush Circulating Fractional Gold 50C, Liberty Round. Deriberpie is listed as an engraver in J.M. Parker’s San Francisco Directory for 1852-53, published December 1852, his only appearance in the city directories. His address is given as 58 Kearny St., the same building as manufacturing jeweler Antoine Louis Nouizillet. (Originally the name was de Riberpe, after a place in France; Regiment de Riberpe is mentioned in 1659.) The D.N. series must represent a partnership between Deriberpie and Nouizillet not noted in the city directories, or subsumed under “Nouizillet & Co.” However, their use of Joseph Brothers’ dies and hubs suggests that perhaps they were made for them by Joseph Brothers—or was it the other way around? Obverse: 13 stars around a narrow head; 1st star to left of bust point, 13th star below bust point; D.N. below bust. Reverse: HALF D. CALIFORNIA GOLD. outside of wreath; 1853 within the wreath. The 3 has a flat top; and the top of the bow is concave; there are 3 berries on each branch, inside left and outside right. Note: “DN” are the initials for Deriberpe & Nouizillet in a partnership that broke up when Deriberpe went to the gold fields.