BG- 209, 1853 California Gold Rush Circulating Fractional Gold 25C, Liberty Round NGC AU58 R7-
SOLD
SKU
3736247020
This is a very rare coin. It is estimated that a mere 6-10 exist today in the 21st century. Of those, NGC has graded only one in AU58. Robert H. Lande, specialist of California Fractional coinage, writes, "They are not the prettiest and most distinctively designed U.S. coins ever struck. But the heady days of the Gold Rush were not the times for carefully chosen aesthetics. Their designs are testimony to their times and to the tasks they were called upon to perform." The main appeal of this specimen is that it is a tangible remnant of the California Gold Rush, one that you can hold in your hand.
Struck by Frontier, Deviercy & Co., San Francisco, who succeeded Joseph Brothers in producing Fractional Gold pieces. The obverse was minted with a shattered die, mostly visible in the right field. It has the Coronet Liberty design, with 10 stars encircling her. The reverse displays 1/4 DOLLAR 1853 within a wreath. Notably, the 4 is reversed. This would be an exciting addition to a collection of U.S. territorial, private, and fractional gold coins.
The Joseph Brothers emerged in numismatic history as pioneers of California Fractional Gold. Their Fractional Gold coin business was taken over by Frontier, Deviercy & Co. What they and the other jewelers in San Francisco created was in essence "emergency coinage." Robert H. Lande, specialist on California Fractional Gold, writes that these Period 1 coins (1852-1856) are "plain, sparse, minimalist, unadorned, and basic." Don Kagin, the author of Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States (1981), explains how these coins were produced:
Most of the fractional coins were made by the hammer method.... This was a process of striking where the bottom die was placed on a block, a coin blank was laid upon it, and the top die upon the blank; this top die was then struck by a sledgehammer. Blows of varying intensity would cause potions of one side or edge to be more weakly struck than another.
| PCGS # | 10394 |
|---|---|
| BG Number | 209 |
| Grading Service | NONE |
| Year of Issue | NONE |
| Grade | NONE |
| Denom Type | N/A |
| Numeric Denomination | Gold 25C |
| Mint Location | NONE |
| Designation | NONE |
| Circ/UnCirc | Not Specified |
| Strike Type | N/A |
| Holder Variety | BG-209 |
| Grade Add On | NONE |
| Holder Type | N/A |
