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Lost Dutchman Coin, Gunsmoke television episode "Treasure of John Walking Fox" (1966)
WillieBoyd2
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The episode of the American television program "Gunsmoke" shows a large octagonal pioneer gold coin.
I bought a "Lost Dutchman Mine" coin (technically a medal or exonumia) for $15 at a
California coin show in October 2013.
It was a large octagonal coin which imitated a California pioneer $50 gold coin or "slug".
I bought it because I had read the story of the Lost Dutchman Mine and I liked the design
with a miner panning for gold on the obverse and a coiled rattlesnake on the reverse.
The Lost Dutchman Mine octagonal coin
Obverse: Miner with pan / LOST DUTCHMAN / 1860
Reverse: Rattlesnake / LOST DUTCHMAN MINES / FIFTY DOLLARS
Metal: Brass, Size: 38mm, Octagonal, Weight: 34.38gm
After I paid for the coin, the seller asked me if I wanted to hear the story behind it.
I said that I would and he told me that 500 of these were produced after one was used in a
1966 episode of the television show Gunsmoke which starred Leonard Nimoy as an Indian.
After watching a DVD of the episode, I discovered that my Lost Dutchman Mine coin does not
match the prop coin shown in the episode, the episode coin is apparently copied from a
California Gold Discovery Centennial medal made in 1948.
At home, I looked the coin up on the Internet and found one similar story, which claimed that
the medals were made for "Gunsmoke" fans or octagonal collectors.
The "Lost Dutchman Mine" is not mentioned in the episode, it is a famous "lost mine"
supposed located in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona.
"Gunsmoke" was an American television "Western" program which ran from 1955 to 1975.
It started when William Boyd closed his "Hopalong Cassidy" television program and a use
was needed for the sets and jobs for the employees.
The regular characters are Matt Dillon, the Marshall or Sheriff of the town of Dodge City, Kansas.
Miss Kitty runs a saloon, Festus is Matt's deputy, and Doc Adams is the town doctor.
This episode was a story of revenge with an Indian and some greedy cowboys and townspeople.
The appearance of a new gravestone sets the episode in 1874.
The show starred James Arness as Matt Dillon, Amanda Blake as Kitty, Ken Curtis as Festus,
and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.
This episode starred Leonard Nimoy as John Walking Fox, Richard Webb as Aaron Tigue,
Jim Davis as Gainer, and Lloyd Gough as Jacob Beamus.
The director was Marc Daniels and the writers were Leo Bagby and Clyde Ware.
I posted more about the coin, the show, and the episode on my website under "Coins on Television".
John Walking Fox (Leonard Nimoy)
This was Leonard Nimoy's last guest television appearance before his long run as "Mr. Spock" on "Star Trek".
Only the obverse of the coin prop is shown during the episode.
The reverse appears to be blank.
Closeup of the coin prop used in the episode
The coin has a figure of a miner '49er and the legend:
THE DAYS OF OLD / THE DAYS OF GOLD / THE DAYS OF FORTY NINE / CALIFORNIA
The film prop coin is not like the Lost Dutchman Mine medal, it appears to be based on a
California Gold Discovery Centennial medal made in 1948.
The medal legend "the days of old, the days of gold" is from an old song of the California Gold Rush.
In the "Gunsmoke" episode, Marshall Dillon asks John Walking Fox where he got the two coins he spent.
John replies:
"Suppose I were to say I found them on the prairie, just the two of them".
"Or that they were given to me by an elder of the tribe, as talismans to ward off evil".
Who made the item I bought?
I bought a "Lost Dutchman Mine" coin (technically a medal or exonumia) for $15 at a
California coin show in October 2013.
It was a large octagonal coin which imitated a California pioneer $50 gold coin or "slug".
I bought it because I had read the story of the Lost Dutchman Mine and I liked the design
with a miner panning for gold on the obverse and a coiled rattlesnake on the reverse.
The Lost Dutchman Mine octagonal coin
Obverse: Miner with pan / LOST DUTCHMAN / 1860
Reverse: Rattlesnake / LOST DUTCHMAN MINES / FIFTY DOLLARS
Metal: Brass, Size: 38mm, Octagonal, Weight: 34.38gm
After I paid for the coin, the seller asked me if I wanted to hear the story behind it.
I said that I would and he told me that 500 of these were produced after one was used in a
1966 episode of the television show Gunsmoke which starred Leonard Nimoy as an Indian.
After watching a DVD of the episode, I discovered that my Lost Dutchman Mine coin does not
match the prop coin shown in the episode, the episode coin is apparently copied from a
California Gold Discovery Centennial medal made in 1948.
At home, I looked the coin up on the Internet and found one similar story, which claimed that
the medals were made for "Gunsmoke" fans or octagonal collectors.
The "Lost Dutchman Mine" is not mentioned in the episode, it is a famous "lost mine"
supposed located in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona.
"Gunsmoke" was an American television "Western" program which ran from 1955 to 1975.
It started when William Boyd closed his "Hopalong Cassidy" television program and a use
was needed for the sets and jobs for the employees.
The regular characters are Matt Dillon, the Marshall or Sheriff of the town of Dodge City, Kansas.
Miss Kitty runs a saloon, Festus is Matt's deputy, and Doc Adams is the town doctor.
This episode was a story of revenge with an Indian and some greedy cowboys and townspeople.
The appearance of a new gravestone sets the episode in 1874.
The show starred James Arness as Matt Dillon, Amanda Blake as Kitty, Ken Curtis as Festus,
and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.
This episode starred Leonard Nimoy as John Walking Fox, Richard Webb as Aaron Tigue,
Jim Davis as Gainer, and Lloyd Gough as Jacob Beamus.
The director was Marc Daniels and the writers were Leo Bagby and Clyde Ware.
I posted more about the coin, the show, and the episode on my website under "Coins on Television".
John Walking Fox (Leonard Nimoy)
This was Leonard Nimoy's last guest television appearance before his long run as "Mr. Spock" on "Star Trek".
Only the obverse of the coin prop is shown during the episode.
The reverse appears to be blank.
Closeup of the coin prop used in the episode
The coin has a figure of a miner '49er and the legend:
THE DAYS OF OLD / THE DAYS OF GOLD / THE DAYS OF FORTY NINE / CALIFORNIA
The film prop coin is not like the Lost Dutchman Mine medal, it appears to be based on a
California Gold Discovery Centennial medal made in 1948.
The medal legend "the days of old, the days of gold" is from an old song of the California Gold Rush.
In the "Gunsmoke" episode, Marshall Dillon asks John Walking Fox where he got the two coins he spent.
John replies:
"Suppose I were to say I found them on the prairie, just the two of them".
"Or that they were given to me by an elder of the tribe, as talismans to ward off evil".
Who made the item I bought?
https://www.brianrxm.com
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Comments
I do remember that there was some discussion as to whether Miss Kitty had another profession.
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<< <i>I have several friends and family members who actively placer mine in the Sierras. Don't ask me where...I either can't or won't tell you! A couple folks make their living that way. None have gotten rich, yet. I grew up in Sacramento, and the song mentioned earlier was taught to us in grade school, along with many other songs commemorating the gold rush era. But interestingly I never saw this episode of Gunsmoke, so I will have to look for it...Ray >>
My great grandfather was a 49'er. I wonder if he hummed that song while he ran the sluice.
"The days of old, the days of gold"......
before he set off for the Virginia City Gold Rush in '59.
bob
including one similar to the "Gunsmoke" coin.
The medals were made by the Irvine & Jachens Company of San Francisco in the 1940's.
California Gold Discovery Centennial Medal - Miner Kneeling
Obverse:
Miner facing right kneeling in creek holding pan
THE DAYS OF OLD - THE DAYS OF GOLD - THE DAYS OF FORTY NINE / CALIFORNIA
Reverse:
Copy of U.S. Assay Office $50 gold piece with eagle and shield
IMITATION OF FAMOUS CALIFORNIA FIFTY DOLLAR GOLD SLUG, USED BY THE PIONEERS / 1850
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIFTY DOLLS. / 000 THOU.
Brass, 40mm, 22.40gm
Octagonal, coin orientation
Catalog: J-132 (Reference Guide to Slugs and Facsimiles by Thomas Jankovsky)
This one is similar to the "Gunsmoke" coin:
California Gold Discovery Centennial Medal - Miner Standing
Obverse:
Miner facing left standing in creek holding pan
THE DAYS OF OLD - THE DAYS OF GOLD - THE DAYS OF FORTY NINE / CALIFORNIA
Reverse:
Copy of U.S. Assay Office $50 gold piece with eagle and shield
IMITATION OF FAMOUS CALIFORNIA FIFTY DOLLAR GOLD SLUG, USED BY THE PIONEERS / 1850
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / FIFTY DOLLS. / 000 THOU.
Brass, 40mm, 29.66gm
Octagonal, coin orientation
Catalog: J-149 (Reference Guide to Slugs and Facsimiles by Thomas Jankovsky)
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<< <i>I agree that Festus was Matt's deputy, but in this episode he appeared to be also working for Kitty.
I do remember that there was some discussion as to whether Miss Kitty had another profession.
Festus was sort of a general local character until Dennis Weaver, who played Deputy Chester Goode (with a limp), left the show in 1964. Festus moved up to Deputy, but he remained quite a character.