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1848 CAL quarter eagle - division and use of War Department gold

RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

Here is how the 228 ounces (corrected from 230+) of Sacramento California gold deposited by the War Department was distributed:

12 T Oz native gold dust to War Department for display, etc.
$3,474.64 in quarter eagles with "CAL." stamped on them (1,389 pieces, slightly over standard weight, refined standard gold).
and
$435.46 in two bars of native gold (dust as melted).

Here's the text of the Mint's letter. Notice that no medals were struck from the War Dept.'s California gold either in native or refined form. The medals were more likely made from David Carter's much larger deposit of December 8.

"Mint of the United States
Philadelphia
January 5, 1849

Hon. William L. Marcy,
Secretary of War

Sir,
The amount of your deposit of gold, made on the 15th ult., is now ready for delivery in California gold.

It is our practice to pay for deposits as soon as its value is ascertained; but this could not be done in the present case because the payment was required in coins made of the bullion deposited. Before the California gold could be coined it had to undergo the process of parting, in which to separate from it the various debris which it contained. This was one cause of delay. Another occurred by the time required for stamping the letters “CAL.” in the quarter eagles as you desired.

Your payment of $3,910.10 will be made up of $3,474.64 in coins, and $435.46 in two bars of gold as melted from the grains. The California gold reserved for medals is from another deposit.

I have no doubt that you may safely extend the payment of your gold to Messrs. Adams & Co.

R.P.M.
Director"

Comments

  • CoinosaurusCoinosaurus Posts: 9,614 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's nice to have a letter that answers more questions than it raises!

    Presumably the metallic composition of the CAL gold pieces forms a unique signature, if you measure accurately enough.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 8, 2018 8:35AM

    On Jan 2 the Secretary of War said he was sending his chief clerk to Philadelphia to pickup the CAL gold and bars. The Mint's letter of the 5th recommends shipping the material to Washington via Adams Express Co.

    Given the limitations of parting and refining, there might be unique trace elements in the CAL pieces. But the War Dept. gold was only presumed to be representative of the Sacramento area. The other samples, apparently retained by the War Dept. or possibly given to the Mint Cabinet, were small but from specific locations.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Curiously, it is possible that by Jan 20 word had gotten out about the CAL quarter eagles. Here's the body of a letter to the mint from New York.

    "Dear Sir:
    I have yesterday send [sic] by Express of Adams & Co. $1,500 in foreign gold for recoinage; and as many friends here are curious to have some coins of the gold found in California, I take herewith the liberty to ask you, if it is no trouble to you, to let me in the return have a part of such gold, and you will much oblige.
    Yours Respectfully
    Berman Baird"

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    These old letters are great Roger.... I guess it was a popular thing to have a coin made from the California gold back then.... Probably part of the 'gold rush fever'. Cheers, RickO

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Col. Mason's report, much of which was written by Lt. Sherman, marked the "official" start of the Gold Rush. It was an official acknowledgement and confirmation of scattered newspaper and first-hand citizen reports about California.

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