Lot 2210
1850 $5 Dubosq and Co Die Trail "Splasher" ANACS MS-64. Kagin 3a, Rarity 8. In 1850, Theodore Dubosq and Co. struck five and ten dollar gold coins in San Francisco. Previously, he had been a jeweler in Philadelphia, but decided to move West in 1849 to also profit from the results of the California Gold Rush. According to Breen (1988), only three five dollar gold pieces remain of the approximately 10,000 pieces originally struck, the remainder was apparently melted, a similar fate came to the tens, however, it is now estimated 8 to 10 of that denomination are now known. One of the fives is in the Smithsonian, one is in the Omaha City Library/Byron Reed Collection, and one is a plugged coin that has not been seen since 1951.
This die trial piece, also called a "splasher" is the closest one can come to owning a Dubosq half eagle. Since it is a Territorial Gold pattern, it is also extremely rare in its own right. This is the reverse-only (uniface) splasher struck in white metal. It exhibits a medium gray finish with a somewhat reflective nature. The thin white metal on which this was struck exhibits a concave appearance and it seems to have remnants of paper on the back. Recent research has indicated the engraver of this reverse die might have been James B. Longacre. A number of years ago, patterns were found in his estate and the inventory might have included several Dubosq "splashers." Close inspection shows a remarkable similarity between the eagle on this die trial pattern and federal half eagles of the time. An interesting piece of Western Americana, this die trail is of the greatest importance to collectors of territorial gold.
Estimated Value $12,500-UP.
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