Lot 3657
1860 Clark, Gruber & Co. (Denver, Colorado) $10 Gold. PCGS graded AU-58 PQ. Lovely golden toning on this Premium Quality coin. Two minor planchet flakes near the top of K and G on the obverse. A glistening example with a luxurious display of original luster remaining around and within the devices, and agreeable color on both sides. Wonderfully socked by the dies, as well, indeed fully so at the fanciful "peak" first recorded by Zebulon Pike on his journey of discovery in 1806. Clark, Gruber and Company is the most famous Colorado private gold minter.
The Pike's Peak gold rush began in 1859 but word of the discovery begand to spread East, West, South and North in the Fall of 1858. To further spark the public's interest, unbelievable fabrications began to appear in print, as though the mere reporting would establish the facts. On 18 September, 1858, the Wyandotte Gazette published a "reliable" account concerning $10,000 in gold dust which had come in from Pike's Peak: "One man brought in $600.00 as the result of a few weeks work. A small boy had $1,000,which he says 'he dug down and found,' and the little fellow says 'he can get all he wants.'" This undocumented account was reprinted in the Missouri Democrat on 24 September, and followed the next day by the report of a merchant from St. Joseph, who had come to St. Louis to buy a supply of bacon for the Pike's Peak trade. This and thousands of other newspaper accounts acted like a magnet to draw hopeful gold seekers to the region from which this $10 gold coin is an all-too-solid reminder of those half-forgotten days. Pop 6; 14 finer, 1 in 60, 4 in 61, 7 in 62, 2 in 63 (PCGS # 10137) .
Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000.
Ex: Bowers and Ruddy The Garrett Collection Part I Nov. 1979 Lot 536. Ex: Aulick Collection Ex: The Brentwood Park Estate.
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| Realized $35,650 |
