BG-1207, 1872 California Fractional Gold $1, Indian Round PCGS AU58 R5

This attractive specimen was produced by Christopher Ferdinand Mohrig, a German-born San Francisco jeweler. BG-1207 is the penultimate Period Two variety in the Breen-Gillio reference book. It is identified by a centered date and the lack of the word ‘TOKEN’ in the reverse legend. It shares its reverse die with BG-1206 and its obverse die with BG-1208, the very last California Fractional Gold variety of Period Two. PCGS has graded 12 as AU58 with 71 finer. Collectors Universe gives this variety a price of $1,850.00 in AU58.

Hunkpapa Sioux Chief Sitting Bull wearing his eagle feather headdress. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The obverse presents an attractive, well-crafted Indian Head facing to the left, surrounded by 13 stars. The date 1872 is below. The reverse carries a well-designed wreath, within which is 1 DOLLAR. Above the wreath at the top near the rim is CALIFORNIA GOLD. It was on August 10, 1876, that Mohrig was arrested by the Secret Service for violating the 1864 law against private coinage. His stock and dies were seized and melted, however this variety is not as rare as some of the others he produced.