Lot 1474
1855 Kellogg & Co. (San Francisco) $20 Gold. NGC graded MS-60. Untoned. Light marks. Both sides of this attractive, fully lustrous light gold piece show the expected surface abrasions for the grade, but all seem to be small, there are no annoying deep contact marks. Always in strong collector demand. The reverse design has an eagle and shield motif similar to the standard U.S. mint-issue $20 gold pieces of the day, with blank scrolls at either side of the shield. The right claw grasps three arrows, the shield showing nearly complete vertical and horizontal stripes and lines.
The most prolific issuer in the gold rush years in California was the United States Assay Office operated by Augustus Humbert as assayer. Eventually, a branch of the U.S. Mint opened in San Francisco, and began operations in 1854. In that year, a limited coinage began, although the earliest San Francisco Mint coinage was sporadic due to lack of parting acids to make standard 90% alloy gold planchets. A shortage of circulating coins developed due to this in the boom-time conditions of San Francisco and the adjoning communities. Area merchants asked Kellogg to produce gold coinage to satisfy this demand, and the firm struck large numbers of $20 pieces, under the name of Kellogg & Co. Only a few have been certified in Mint condition: Pop 5; 6 finer; 4 in 61; 2 in 62. (PCGS # 8914) .
Estimated Value $15,000 - 16,000.
|
| |
| Realized $12,650 |
