Private Gold Coins Struck in the United States, 1830-1861: A Complete Illustrated List of the Various Coins Issued by Private Assayers in Georgia, Car, Raymond Wayte

Upon the discovery of gold in California and the influx of prospectors and traders there was an immediate need for a medium of exchange other than the unwieldy bags of gold dust. Several firms struck coins in 1849 and the State Assay Office of California, with Frederick D. Kohler as State Assayer, began stamping ingots early in 1850; a few of these still exist. In the latter part of 1850 the firm of Moffat Co. Were designated as United States Assay representatives and Augustus Humbert of New York was appointed United States Assayer to place the government stamp upon the ingots produced by Moffat Co. This business was in 1852 con ducted under the name of the United States Assay Office. For a full account of the preceding and the operations of other com panies see Edgar H. Adams Private Gold Coinage of California.

The Mormon coinage grew out of the same necessity and appeared early in 1849. It did not, however, compare with the California coinages in actual intrinsic value.

The firm of Clark, Gruber Co. In Denver coined gold from the Colorado mines and produced over worth in 1860 and 1861. The Parsons and Conway companies were much smaller operators.

Way up in Oregon the same need for a medium of exchange produced the two pieces struck by the Oregon Exchange Co. In 1849.

It has been thought best to limit the scope of this work to a complete illustrated list of the various coinages, excepting the minor die varieties existing in some of the California pieces.

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