Lot 1671
1855 Wass, Molitor & Co. (San Francisco) $10 Gold. PCGS graded AU-53 PQ. Gold Foil Tag. This is a prized rarity that is seldom available at all. Perhaps 100 or so exist in all grades. The final digit was updated on the obverse die by drilling out the prior digit and inserting a small piece with a 5 in place for the current date. These circulated for a short time but many had likely disappeared by 1857 when the S. S. Central America sunk. A few old tenor coins like this one went along for the ride and were recovered in that historic time capsule. Any territorial gold specialist has to acquire one of these rarities, and they offer an historic link to the early days of the California gold rush and a glimpse into the politics where the Wass, Molitor & Co., firm started production of coins again despite the new San Francisco Mint being opened for over a year. The vast majority of these Wass, Molitor & Co., coins were melted and converted into San Francisco gold conage soon after they entered circulation. Frosty untoned example. SSCA 7280 (PCGS # 10354) .
Estimated Value $25,000 - 30,000.
Ex: S.S. Central America.
|
| |
| Unsold |
