Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 10

Coin and Currency Auction

Territorial Gold Coins

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1120		Christopher Bechtler $2.50 CAROLINA, 67 gr. 21 carats. Sharpness of EF-40 but cleaned long ago. This one is very sharply struck and well preserved. It has been cleaned long ago, with the usual resulting hairlines in the fields. Rare and seldom offered, these territorial gold coins should find happy new homes after being off the market for decades. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,600
Lot 1121		Christopher Bechtler 5 DOLLARS CAROLINA, 134 gr. 21 carats, with star. PCGS graded AU-55. Struck circa 1837-42, this one has lovely coppery red toning in the lettering and devices, and is well struck on a clean planchet. Only 7 graded this high, with a single coin graded a notch higher by PCGS, and none seen yet in Mint State. An important opportunity for the specialist. Estimated Value $6,000 - 7,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $8,338
Lot 1122		August Bechtler 1 DOLLAR CAROLINA, 27 gr. 21 carats. PCGS graded AU-55. One of the more common issues from August Bechtler, the surfaces are well preserved and show only minor surface ticks. Mint luster survives near the lettering. About as nice as these are usually found, they are available in mint state, but for a much bigger price! It is important for the territorial collector to purchase a nice example of this type coin, such as the one offered here. Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,955
Lot 1123		August Bechtler 1 DOLLAR CAROLINA, 27 gr. 21 carats. Sharpness of VF-20 but bent and scratched. This one has been bent and partially straightened, and the surfaces have dull scratches on both sides. Well struck and better than we make it sound, but inspection mandatory. Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $805
Lot 1124		August Bechtler 5 DOLLARS CAROLINA, 141 gr. 20 carats. Sharpness of EF-40 but tooled, filed and harshly cleaned. This one has been cleaned with an erasure to hide various tooling marks and the rims are filed. Nevertheless, it is a rare coin, and only a few have been graded. The strike is strong, and the details are sharp. A coin to be inspected, as it is truly rare and seldom encountered in any grade, even with some damage. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. Purchased decades ago for $500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,140
Lot 1125		1849 Norris, Gregg & Norris $5 Gold. Reeded edge. PCGS graded AU-58. Here is one of the finest known of this rare issue. PCGS has only awarded this grade to 3 coins, with 2 graded in the lower range of Mint State above. Moderate handling marks in the fields, with a small planchet crack left of the date near the rim, continuing through the coin to the opposite side. Well struck, with the large 5 on the shield visible. As this is one of the early territorial issues, most of those coined were remelted into "current" gold coinage during the ensuing years, and precious few remain for collectors today. Estimated Value $8,000 - 12,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,200
Lot 1126		1849 Moffat & Co. $5 Gold. PCGS graded AU-55. A choice coin for the grade with mint fresh luster and outstanding surfaces that are alive with a golden glow. Boldly struck by the dies, and the eagle and Liberty's curls show crisp definition. One of only 9 graded this high, with 12 graded higher. Remember, these early Territorial coins were generally not on board the S. S. Central America, so the population will remain low. An impressive example that has excellent surfaces and color throughout. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. Purchased years ago from B. Max Mehl, lot number (?) 3215 from an unknown sale, as "VF+" (that plus goes a long way!). View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,830
Lot 1127		1851 U.S. Assay Office $50 "slug", 880 THOUS. Lettered edge, no 50 on reverse. PCGS graded EF-45. Kagin-2, Rarity-5. Another rare early Gold Rush issue, this one is well struck by the dies, with crisp details on the eagle and nicely formed corners. The surfaces show minor handling marks, including a small identifying dig above the eagle's head. Only 83 have been graded of this issue, with about two thirds of those in lower grades, according to a recent PCGS Population Report. Estimated Value $10,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $15,525
Lot 1128		1851 U.S. Assay Office $50 "slug", 887 THOUS. Reeded edge. PCGS graded VF-25. This is an unusual coin, it has two small counterstamped letters on the obverse, a "C" in the field below the tip of the eagle's left wing, and an upside down or backwards "D" under the tip of the right wing. If these were random counterstamps they would likely be placed together, rather than spread apart. What is curious is that C and D were used to signify CENTS and DOLLARS as abreviations on issues form this territorial mint. These counterstamped letters are very small, and were almost certainly added after the coin left the dies. As the coin clearly states FIFTY DOLLS on the lower obverse, it would be unnecessary to hand punch in the denomination below the wings, or anywhere else. Further, why was the "D" counterstamp upside down or backwards relative to the coin or the "C" counterstamp? We may never know, but this is an interesting coin which may be worth researching. We asked our friend and noted Territorial gold specialist, Don Kagin about the counterstamp, and he said that he didn't recall seeing other examples. The surfaces show moderate handling marks, and a few rim bumps expected for the grade. The bumps are located on the corners, as ususal. An impressive example of this popular issue. Estimated Value $5,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $6,900
Lot 1129		1852 U.S. Assay Office $50 Gold, 900 THOUS. PCGS graded AU-50. A handsome "slug" that boasts even yellow gold color throughout, and decent rims and corners. These heavy gold slugs received quite a bit of abuse in their day and most are seen with banged up rims and corners. Demand for gold coins was extremely high in 1852, and most of these were shipped back east and remelted, or were tossed into the melting pot once the San Francisco Mint opened up in 1854. Only 23,800 were struck of this issue in early 1853, and these are dog-gone rare in high grades! A recent PCGS Population Report shows 7 graded this high, with 10 graded higher, and quite a few in lower grades, for a total of 46 pieces. Estimated Value $12,000 - 15,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $14,950
Lot 1130		1852 U.S. Assay Office $10 Gold, 884 THOUS. Accugrate graded AU-55. We note that this coin has been cleaned and we would grade the coin Sharpness of Extremely Fine-45. Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,220
Lot 1131		1852 U.S. Assay Office $10 Gold, 884 THOUS. Sharpness of AU-50 but the obverse fields are tooled. The fields show some signs of tooling, probably to remove marks or other detriment. Struck from rusted dies and still a decent example of this popular territorial issue. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,700. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,725
Lot 1132		1852 U.S. Assay Office $10 Gold, 884 THOUS. Sharpness of EF-40 but cleaned. The surfaces appear to have been cleaned at some time in the past. Moderate handling marks from limited circulation gives the devices a satiny appearance. Most of the handling marks are small in nature, and don't detract, but there are quite a number of them for the grade. Remember, these early gold coins weren't going to the opera every night, they were bouncing around in saddle bags and being tossed about in saloons and constantly being hidden from thieves and politicians. Hence, few are found with nice surfaces. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,725
Lot 1133		1853 U.S. Assay Office $20 Gold, 900 THOUS. PCGS graded AU-50. Here is a beautiful, original (we think so at least) and pleasing example of this fairly common Territorial isssue. The United States Assay Office of Gold in San Francisco was the primary mint for the tons of gold coming out of the Sierra Mountains and surrounding foothills and streams. Early in the Gold Rush, miners were paid far less than their gold was worth elsewhere (New York for instance) as the business and banking infrastructure were not yet capable of handling the massive gold flows in the California area. Private minters and semi-government assayers helped bring the costs down within a few years, and soon miners were receiving prices closer to the spot price of gold for their dust and nuggets. By 1853, when this coin was struck, a total of 2,500,000 similar coins were made from over 30 different dies. This particular coin has no upper crossbar on the I of UNITED and the serifs on the letter E come and go at will. Despite the huge mintage, these are still scarce, and PCGS has only graded a total of 210 pieces or so, most of which are in high grades, or even mint state. As stated, this is a wonderful, high grade example of this issue, there are two minor rim bumps, one near the left wing tip on the obverse, the other on the reverse at about 10:00, but these are the only problems we noticed. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $3,680
Lot 1134		1849 Miners' Bank $10 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53. Plain Border. Even though this circulated to some extent, it's just a wonderful memento of "pioneer gold" made in early 'Frisco and obviously used among the miners and merchants of its day. Why wonderful? The color, which is a deep orange gold, indicating it retains the same look it had back when it was used for money. The strike, too, is sharp throughout the eagle's feathers, and shows the bird's rounded eye and deadly sharp beak. The surfaces are pocked by tiny abrasions only, indicative of genuine use. The rims are clean and unblemished: nobody threw this one against a wall in a drunken stupor at some Barbary Coast drinking emporium! All in all, a joy for the collector who appreciates originality in a coin handled by real people in an exciting and forever-lost time in America's past. A Gold Rush classic! PCGS has graded one piece MS-61, another 4 as AU-58, 3 in AU-55, and 5 in AU-53. This is a new AU-53, bringing that number to 6. However, a total of only 25 coins have been reviewed in all grades. Estimated Value $15,000 - 17,500. View details	Realized $18,400
Lot 1135		1855 Wass, Molitor & Co. $20 Gold. Small head. PCGS graded EF-45. This one has excellent definition in the head of Liberty, while the reverse is a touch weak as always seen on the eagle's wings and neck. Nice rims and fields, which show only moderate handling marks. Remember, these were just "money" back when there wasn't much money around, and all coins in the Gold Rush areas circulated hard. The soft gold surfaces were prone to handling marks, and all examples have them to some degree. Luster survives in the protected areas, and this is one of the best to survive. The recent PCGS Population Report notes only 3 graded this high, with just 2 graded higher of the type! Only 11 have been graded in all, so don't expect a boatload to be available at the next auction. Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $29,900
Lot 1136		1855 Kellogg & Co. $20 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53. Abundant eye-appeal greets the viewer when this coin is examined. The surfaces are a rich, yellow gold with coppery highlights, obviously from an old collection. Bright mint luster abounds, and the strike is strong on both sides. A few trivial handling marks to be expected on these large heavy coins, but they are not distracting or disfiguring. As to the rims, they are clean and without the usual profusion of bumps. PCGS reports only 2 graded as AU-53, with 10 graded higher. Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,500. This one is apparently from an old B. Max Mehl sale, date unknown, lot 1916. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,750
Lot 1137		1849 Mormon $5 Gold. PCGS graded Fine-15. Weakly struck by the dies, and with moderate wear on both sides. The right side of the obverse has some of the lettering worn down, but the central elements of the eye and hat (actually, the all seeing eye of Jehovah and the Phrygian cap, which is the emblem of Mormon priesthood) are clear. Stronger details on the reverse, with all the lettering clear and defined, while the clasped hands are outlined, but show little definition. On the obverse there are some dark areas, most of which appear to be on top of the surface, one above the cap is deeper, and it may have been caused by impurities in the metal. As noted in the Kagin reference, these are always weak at the clasped hands and parts of eye. Probably less than 100 exist in all grades, and this is about average for the grade usually seen. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. From Stack's Sale, June 26-27, 1958, lot 304. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,600
Lot 1138		1860 Mormon $5 Gold. PCGS graded AU-50. Struck under the authority of the Deseret Assay Office and issued by the authority of the Mormon Church in Utah. Only 9 have been graded this high, with 14 graded higher for this date. Well struck for the issue, with full details on most of the lion and the bee hive on the reverse. Only a bit of wear on the high points, and this coin may be undergraded. Mormon gold is especially popular for its design motifs and is widely collected along with the California issues and others. An impressive coin that will no doubt please any collector. Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000. Purchased from Abner Kreisberg as "Unc. a gem". View details and enlarged photos	Realized $24,150
Lot 1139		1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $2.50 Gold. NGC graded MS-62. One of the few mint state pieces known, this one is well struck with full curls on Liberty and similar sharpness to the knobby claws on the eagle's feet. We note a tiny bonk on the inner two points of the ninth star, and some minor handling marks on Liberty's proud jaw. On the reverse there are some very light pin scratches or hairlines, but they are not distracting. NGC has graded this coin alone as MS 62 and 2 higher. Similar at PCGS where 5 have been graded MS 62 with 5 graded higher. An important and historical territorial issue. Estimated Value $7,500 - 8,500. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $7,763
Lot 1140		1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. $5 Gold. Sharpness of VF-35 but polished. There are some light scratches in the fields and the coin has been polished to reduce the usual surface marks. Well struck, and probably could be improved by experts in such matters. Estimated Value $1,200 - 1,500. Purchased from Abe Kosoff's Alex Shuford Collection Sale, date unknown, lot 2546. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $2,300
Lot 1141		1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. $2.50 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53. Satiny gold in color with some minor lines from brief circulation. Well balanced and struck, with clear devices on each side. Less than 100 probably survived in all grades, and this is one of the better ones, which makes it perfect for the collector. Estimated Value $3,000 - 4,000. Purchased from Abner Kreisberg many years ago. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $4,370
Lot 1142		1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. $10 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53. With some luster hidden in the lettering, and well struck from cracked dies. Typical handling marks for the issue, with no other problems worthy of note. Scarce this nice, with perhaps 100 known in all grades, this in the top twenty percent or so. Additional die cracks not noted in Kagin as follows; rim through E and bases of EAK in PEAK, and an arc from the rim through the D of GOLD through the edge of the mountain, to the rim below. Nice rims and surfaces. Estimated Value $8,000 - 10,000. Purchased from Abner Kreisberg many years ago. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $9,775
Lot 1143		1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. $10 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53. While not uncommon in AU grades, none have yet been graded as Mint State according to PCGS. This one boasts satiny luster near the devices, and is well struck. Liberty's headband retains enough definition to clearly read PIKES PEAK. A few minor circulation marks, including one on the outer ball of the 6 in the date will serve to identify this specimen. Estimated Value $4,000 - 6,000. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $5,750
Lot 1144		1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. $20 Gold. PCGS graded EF-45. Here is an extremely rare coin, only 15 have been graded by PCGS, with this in the mid range of 5 graded as such by PCGS, and 5 are graded higher (best is AU-55). The surfaces of this piece are quite pleasing for the grade, there are some minor hairlines from circulation, and a shallow scratch behind Liberty's head. On the reverse, we note minor weakness in the strike on the upper left corner of the shield. Many collectors have never even seen one of these, and the opportunity to purchase one is often measured in years. Examine this one closely and see if it would fill the bill for your collection. Estimated Value $12,000 - 16,000. No provenance information included, but likely purchased in the 1950s or 1960s with the balance of this collection. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $24,150
Lot 1145		1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. $20 Gold. PCGS graded EF-45. Kagin-12c, Rarity-6, Copper, reeded edge. A scarce issue, PCGS has graded 17 in various grades, including a handful of nice mint state pieces. This one has medium chocolate brown toning on both sides, with darker areas near the devices. Not boldly struck up, but enough so on the obverse to read Liberty's crown. On the reverse, the eagle lacks most of the details. Minor rim ticks and surface marks. Rare and seldom encountered. Estimated Value $1,000-UP. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,898
Lot 1146		1850 California Gold Mines Token, double eagle size, Low Rarity-7. Sharpness of EF-40. The coin itself has been polished, which may have been done at the time the gold plating or gilding took place. There is little known about the history of this piece, it is believed to have been engraved by William Lemme, an early San Francisco die cutter and the workmanship is far above average quality for the time period. The obverse displays two rampant bears sparring and is surrounded by CALIFORNIA GOLD MINES, A.D. 1850. On the reverse, a large eagle with outstretched wings and a shield clutches a sheaf of wheat, with CALIFORNIA GOLD MINES, 1850 and 5 stars surrounding. It is not known if this was some sort of proposed double eagle, or more likely a gaming token from one of the numerous gambling halls near the gold mining areas. All known examples are stuck in some base metal and later gold plated. Perhaps a dozen are known in all, and this fanciful design has always been popular with collectors for the rampant bears. We note a rim bruise below the A. of A.D. on the obverse and another larger rim bruise on the lower right side of the reverse. Other handling marks seem to have been gilded over, and it appears that this coin was used for some time before the gilding took place, as the host coin shows some wear, but not the gilding. The only other recent sale we could locate was the Garrett Sale II, by Bowers and Ruddy, March 1980 lot 884 where that specimen realized $6,000 in the quietude of the gold and coin frenzy. The coin does not state a denomination, but is the same size as a double eagle of the period. This issue is listed in Private Gold Coinage and Patterns of the United States by Donald H. Kagin on page 373 and is noted as being a low rarity-7 piece. He further states that all known pieces are gold plated. Certainly this is a rare opportunity to purchase an historical relic from the California Gold Rush period, and such chances only occur when great collections are sold. Estimated Value $1,000-UP. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $1,035