Mormon Gold: The Deseret Mint and its Mint Master John Moburn Kay

Zoins

I've looked at a lot of Mormon Gold photos but never read much about it until recently.

The following photos and excerpt is fascinating to me. The quoted text below is just a short amount from the article so do click through if you're interested.

The Deseret Mint looks like the middle set of buildings below.

Read below for how gold was used as children's toys at home.

https://www.historynet.com/self-reliant-mormons-started-deseret-mint-money-mill.htm

Robert L. Foster wrote:

The Pioneer Company, the first organized group of Mormons (or Latter-Day Saints) entering the Salt Lake Valley, led by the prophet Brigham Young, consisted of 143 hand-picked men, three women and two children. Leonard J. Arrington, noted Mormon historian, estimated that there was less than $1 per person in the entire company, and Brigham Young himself only had $50. That was the entire monetary supply of the Mormon Church, and money was desperately needed for trading within and outside the valley.
...
Brigham Young obtained a small supply of U.S. coins on a trip to the Missouri River area in 1847. Upon his return to Salt Lake City in 1848, he placed about $85 worth of those coins into circulation. A noted Mormon writer, Earl Hansen, compared releasing those coins to “spilling a cup of precious water upon the desert sands.” The relief was only temporary: the small change soon disappeared.
...
The Deseret Mint began operations in November 1848, with John Kay commissioned mint master. The $10 denomination was the first coin struck; only 25 were minted the first day. They sold at $10.50 each. No reason was given for the 50- cent premium; perhaps it was charged because of the coin’s novelty or to offset the cost of minting.
...
The Deseret Mint was commonly referred to as “the money mill.” It was a small adobe building on the north side of South Temple Street, just across the street from where the Salt Lake Temple now stands. The federal government created Utah Territory (about half the size of the state of Deseret) on September 9, 1850, but that did not mean the end of minting operations. The October 5, 1850, issue of the Deseret News reported: “We stepped into the mint the other day and saw two or three men rolling the golden bars, like wagon tires, ready for the dies. This is what makes trade brisk.” John Kay, mint master, often carried the bars of gold home for safekeeping. There, his older daughters used them for building log cabin playhouses on the hearth.
...
Brigham Young’s most significant need met by minting gold coins was purchase of goods from large cities in the eastern United States. He wanted to coin gold of sufficient fineness and weight to qualify as a medium of exchange. Non-Mormon traders in the Salt Lake Valley such as Thomas L. “Peg-Leg” Smith also accepted the coins as payment for their various goods.

Lithograph from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bowery-Presidents-House-Ackerman-litho/dp/B07W8YRSSD

Zoins

Here's information on John Moburn Kay, mint master, war surgeon, dentist, musician and Elder of the Church.

The Mormon Double Eagle is the first $20 gold coin in the US.

Of note:

Joseph L. Heywood, Utah's first United States marshal wrote:

In 1850 I presented some of the Utah coins at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, where the mechanical work of John M. Kay was highly praised.

It's also worth noting that coins were minted from 1849 to 1850 and then again in 1860. From 1855 to 1858, he was in Europe.

Again, this is a short excerpt, so click through to read more.

http://www.mormonhaven.com/genealogy/hardy/hardy_cobia_tree/Hardy/john_moburn_kay/john_moburn_kay.htm

John Moburn Kay

BORN: 6 Oct 1817 Bury, Lancashire, England to William and Elizabeth Moburn Kay
MARRIED: 19 June 1851 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah to Ellen Marie Partington (Richards)
Died: 27 Sep 1864 Nr Little Larami, , WY
...
His father, James Kay, was a foundry man, and the boy himself, at the early age of six years, entered his uncle's iron and brass foundry in Bury, mastering the trade and getting journeyman's wages at seventeen.
...
He settled permanently on the corner of South Temple and Fourth East Streets, where a portion of his family still resides. His trade of moulding and pattern-making in iron and brass came at once into play, and in the winter of 1848-1849 he made, by request of President Young, the paraphernalia of the mint, which he was instructed to operate. The steel for the dies was furnished by Joseph L. Heywood, and Bro. Kay was assisted in the blacksmithing work by Alfred Lambson. Says Mr. Heywood, who was Utah's first United States marshal: "In 1850 I presented some of the Utah coins at the United States Mint in Philadelphia, where the mechanical work of John M. Kay was highly praised." Bro. Kay is said to have made the first brass casting in Utah, also the first iron casting, assisted by Phillip Margetts and another worker.
...
He rendered service in the early Indian wars, sometimes acting as surgeon, for he had studied surgery and dentistry, which he practiced during the remainder of his life. In 1855-1858 he was absent upon a mission to Europe, from which he returned in company with Orson Pratt and other Elders by way of the Isthmus of Panama and the State of California, arriving in Salt Lake City in January, 1858. He saw service in Echo Canyon, as one of Governor Cumming's escort to Salt Lake City, appointed specially to entertain his Excellency; and was on guard in the city when Johnston's army passed through. In the fall of 1860 he went upon another mission to Europe, where he labored as before in his native land, though on the former occasion he had traveled some on the continent. This last mission extended through four years.
...
Scarcely second to his musical and dramatic gifts was his skill as a mechanic, a worker in metals. He made the dies and the tools with which the dies were made for the mint which coined in 1849 out of California gold dust, the first gold coins used in the intermountain region.

Zoins

What does rolling golden bars like wagon tires mean?

The October 5, 1850, issue of the Deseret News reported: “We stepped into the mint the other day and saw two or three men rolling the golden bars, like wagon tires, ready for the dies. This is what makes trade brisk.”

Namvet69

@Zoins thanks for this post. I can't imagine the struggle for survival that first year in the desert. Do you know who produced the dies and crucibles? I would guess in SF maybe? Peace Roy

Zoins

@Namvet69 said:
@Zoins thanks for this post. I can't imagine the struggle for survival that first year in the desert. Do you know who produced the dies and crucibles? I would guess in SF maybe? Peace Roy

I'm not sure. Mormon Haven says the following. I'll see what can find out.

in the winter of 1848-1849 he made, by request of President Young, the paraphernalia of the mint, which he was instructed to operate.

braddick

What a terrific read! Thanks for taking the time and attention to detail.
(I used to be a practicing Mormon having graduated from BYU and serving their two-year mission.)

ricko

@Zoins... Thanks for the links/history.... I have been intrigued by Mormon gold for a long time, though I have no coins - yet. Amazing how multi-talented/skilled Mr. Kay was.... Cheers, RickO

1northcoin

Thanks for great posts. Learned some new things. Here is the original $5 coin. The pictured coin is one I once owned and was subsequently replaced by another 1849 $5 Mormon Gold coin. 1850 also saw a design change for the $5 coin.

Some years later (1860) another $5 Mormon Gold Coin was minted that had inscriptions in the new Deseret Alphabet on it and featured a lion. I still have one that I picked up from the Salt Lake coin dealer Alvin Rust who used to use its image on his calling card. (Edited to add, see my post below for more information on the 1860 coin.)

Apparently 1849 was the only year that Mormon Gold coins were made in any other denomination than $5.

1northcoin

This from a display of Mormon gold coins at the museum across the street from Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

This photo, which I also took at the same location, can be found at page 267 of Karl V. Moulton's book, "John J. Ford, Jr. and The 'Franklin Hoard' ". His caption for my photo reads, "Mormon die making tools and dies on exhibit in Salt Lake City, Utah."

1northcoin

@1northcoin said:
Thanks for great posts. Learned some new things. Here is the original $5 coin, one that I once owned. Some years later (1860) it was replaced by another $5 coin that had inscriptions in the new Deseret Alphabet on it and featured a lion. I still have one that I picked up from the Salt Lake coin dealer Rust who used to use its image for his calling card.

OK, I just located my copy of Alvin E. Rust's book, "Mormon and Utah Coin and Currency." (1984) with its writings on Mormon Gold.

He explains how members of the Mormon Battalion who underwent the longest infantry march in U.S. Military history ended up in California where disbanded Mormon Battalion veterans, were among those to first discover gold at Sutter's Mill in January of 1848. He goes on to describe how when those individuals continued on to join their families in Salt Lake City that they took with them gold dust from the discovery. Once in Utah he writes, "Because the gold dust was difficult to weigh and exchange ... Church leaders decided to convert the gold dust to coin." He continues, "The Deseret Mint was established on South Temple just west of the old Church administration building, near where the Hoel Utah garage is now located. The first gold dust was deposited at the mint on 10 December 1848 by William T. Follett, a battalion veteran whose 14 1/2 ounces were credited for $232 at $16 per ounce."

As noted in the OP's initial reporting, John Kay engraved the dies and minted the coins but he was assisted by others who engraved the first stamps for the coins and included Alfred B. Lambson who forged the dies, punches, and tools and collars. This appears to partially answer a question above about where the dies came from for the coinage.

With regard to the later 1860 Mormon Gold $5 coin (the one with the Lion), it is reported that its gold was sourced from Colorado as opposed to the California gold previously. Reportedly a separate mint was set up in the back of a jewelry store since it had been almost a decade since the initial minting. It is believed a J.M. Barlow who owned the jewelry store engraved that coin although John Kay, who was responsible for the early coins, assisted. These coins were minted from 1859 to 1861, but all bore the date of 1860. The total number of the lion $5 Mormon Gold coins minted was 789.

Thanks to a poster created by fellow forum member UtahCoin here is the above described 1860 $5 Lion Coin. Rust describes it in his book as the most impressive of all gold coins of the era including those from the U.S. Mint. He adds, "Workmanship on the 1860 coin was excellent."

Peace_dollar88

Interesting read. I work about 2 blocks away from where the deseret mint was. When i first found out about mormon gold i wanted to obtain one. Well at least until i saw the prices.

1northcoin

@1northcoin said:
This from a display of Mormon gold coins at the museum across the street from Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

This photo, which I also took at the same location, can be found at page 267 of Karl V. Moulton's book, "John J. Ford, Jr. and The 'Franklin Hoard' ". His caption for my photo reads, "Mormon die making tools and dies on exhibit in Salt Lake City, Utah."

@1northcoin said:

@1northcoin said:
Thanks for great posts. Learned some new things. Here is the original $5 coin, one that I once owned. Some years later (1860) it was replaced by another $5 coin that had inscriptions in the new Deseret Alphabet on it and featured a lion. I still have one that I picked up from the Salt Lake coin dealer Rust who used to use its image for his calling card.

OK, I just located my copy of Alvin E. Rust's book, "Mormon and Utah Coin and Currency." (1984) with its writings on Mormon Gold.

He explains how members of the Mormon Battalion who underwent the longest infantry march in U.S. Military history ended up in California where disbanded Mormon Battalion veterans, were among those to first discover gold at Sutter's Mill in January of 1848. He goes on to describe how when those individuals continued on to join their families in Salt Lake City that they took with them gold dust from the discovery. Once in Utah he writes, "Because the gold dust was difficult to weigh and exchange ... Church leaders decided to convert the gold dust to coin." He continues, "The Deseret Mint was established on South Temple just west of the old Church administration building, near where the Hoel Utah garage is now located. The first gold dust was deposited at the mint on 10 December 1848 by William T. Follett, a battalion veteran whose 14 1/2 ounces were credited for $232 at $16 per ounce."

As noted in the OP's initial reporting, John Kay engraved the dies and minted the coins but he was assisted by others who engraved the first stamps for the coins and included Alfred B. Lambson who forged the dies, punches, and tools and collars. This appears to partially answer a question above about where the dies came from for the coinage.

With regard to the later 1860 Mormon Gold $5 coin (the one with the Lion), it is reported that its gold was sourced from Colorado as opposed to the California gold previously. Reportedly a separate mint was set up in the back of a jewelry store since it had been almost a decade since the initial minting. It is believed a J.M. Barlow who owned the jewelry store engraved that coin although John Kay, who was responsible for the early coins, assisted. These coins were minted from 1859 to 1861, but all bore the date of 1860. The total number of the lion $5 Mormon Gold coins minted was 789.

Thanks to a poster created by fellow forum member UtahCoin here is the above described 1860 $5 Lion Coin. Rust describes it in his book as the most impressive of all gold coins of the era including those from the U.S. Mint. He adds, "Workmanship on the 1860 coin was excellent."

OK, I can add that the name of the above referenced museum in Salt Lake City across the street from Temple Square is presently named the Church History Museum although I believe it may have been known as the Pioneer Heritage Museum, or something similar, in the past.

In any event it is located at 45 N West Temple. Recently it has remained closed due to COVID-19 precautions, but there has been a loosening of restrictions by the LDS Church so it would not hurt to check ahead if one is planning to be in the area.

jesbroken

Most excellent and informative posts. Thanks to all who posted in the Mormon minting regards. Enjoyed profusely.
Jim

cccoins

Two thoughts:

• I believe that Albert Kuner, of Baldwin Horseman $10 fame, engraved the 1860 Mormon $5 dies .
• I once set a couple of California gold coins next to the 1849 and 1850 Mormon $5’s, and a Clark Gruber Mountain $10 next to an 1860 Mormon $5. It was clear that the 1860 $5 was much more yellow, and closely matched the color of the Mountain $10.

Zoins

@cccoins said:
I believe that Albert Kuner, of Baldwin Horseman $10 fame, engraved the 1860 Mormon $5 dies .

What is the reasoning for your belief?

Here are the two to compare:

1860 $5 Mormon Gold - PCGS MS62 POP 44/2/0 - Hansen

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/82621184

1850 $10 Baldwin (Regular Strike) - PCGS MS64+ POP 10/1/0 CAC

https://www.pcgs.com/cert/28901937

Zoins

Additional informaation from Heritage:

Citing Mormon mining engineer and historian Col. Joseph M. Lock, Kagin writes:

For the Mormons the coins were a success. They served greatly to increase trade in and around the Valley and enabled them to purchase goods in the states to the east, even though the coins were accepted only at a discount of 10 to 25 percent. The Mormon coins circulated at par among the Mormons themselves but were not so popular with the 'Gentiles.'

Also it's interesting that "deseret" means "honeybee":

Heritage wrote:

The Mormon word "deseret" is interpreted as "honeybee," and the beehive symbol was a favorite emblem of the followers of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. According to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Macmillan, 1992):

"Nineteenth-century leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints consciously created symbols to buttress their community. The most persistent of these pioneer symbols was the beehive.

"Its origin may relate to the statement in the Book of Mormon that the Jaredites carried 'with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honeybee' (Ether 2:3). The Deseret News (Oct. 11, 1881) described the symbol of the beehive in this way: 'The hive and honey bees form our communal coat of arms. ... It is a significant representation of the industry, harmony, order and frugality of the people, and of the sweet results of their toil, union and intelligent cooperation.' "

https://coins.ha.com/itm/territorial-gold/territorial-and-fractional-gold/1860-5-mormon-five-dollar-ms62-pcgs-secure-k-6-high-r5-pcgs-10268-/a/1219-5526.s

Zoins

@1northcoin said:
With regard to the later 1860 Mormon Gold $5 coin (the one with the Lion), it is reported that its gold was sourced from Colorado as opposed to the California gold previously. Reportedly a separate mint was set up in the back of a jewelry store since it had been almost a decade since the initial minting. It is believed a J.M. Barlow who owned the jewelry store engraved that coin although John Kay, who was responsible for the early coins, assisted.

@cccoins said:
I believe that Albert Kuner, of Baldwin Horseman $10 fame, engraved the 1860 Mormon $5 dies .

The Mormon Church indicates that the coin was designed by J. M. Barlow and Douglas Dougall Brown. Were they connected with Albert Kuner?

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wrote:

This new five-dollar gold piece was redesigned by J. M. Barlow and Douglas Dougall Brown in 1860. On the obverse (the front or principal side), “Holiness to the Lord” in Deseret Alphabet script frames a lion crouched under three mountain peaks by a stream. (The mountains were eliminated in the final minting.) On the reverse appears a beehive under an eagle gripping laurel branches and grain. The words “Deseret Assay Office Pure Gold” circle the edge.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1979/03/discovery/mormon-money?lang=eng

Here's more from Heritage:

Heritage wrote:

Mormon leader Brigham Young directed Deseret jeweler J.M. Barlow to make five dollar dies, which were used to strike 472 pieces between February 28 and March 9 of 1861. Utah governor Alfred Cumming, a non-Mormon, prohibited further production once he learned of the private coinage.

https://www.icollector.com/1860-5-Mormon-Five-Dollar-AU58-NGC_i7631087

Zoins

@Namvet69 said:
@Zoins thanks for this post. I can't imagine the struggle for survival that first year in the desert. Do you know who produced the dies and crucibles? I would guess in SF maybe? Peace Roy

Apparently the early crucibles were made by hand, presumably in Utah, while later crucibles were purchased from the east per the Church. I wonder if there are any records of where they were purchased from?

Here's a fuller excerpt from the Church:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1979/03/discovery/mormon-money?lang=eng

Glenn N. Rowe wrote:

2. California gold dust, weighed and packaged in small amounts, was also used as currency in Utah Territory along with Spanish gold doubloons, which arrived in the Valley in 1848 as part of the $5,000 payment to the Mormon Battalion.2 But, with the $85 in cash that Brigham Young brought back with him from his 1848 trip to Missouri,3 it still didn’t make enough currency to fuel eastern trade. A person would pay for smaller purchases by letting the clerk take a pinch of gold dust between his thumb and forefinger; naturally, the more dust the clerk could “raise in a pinch,” the more valuable an employee he was.4

3. Forty-six of these ten-dollar gold pieces were minted from California dust in December 1848 by a committee appointed by Brigham Young: John Kay, John Taylor, and Robert Campbell. The handmade crucibles could not withstand the strains of minting, however, and production was stopped.5

4. While new crucibles were coming from the East, Brigham Young authorized handwritten notes, backed by gold dust in denominations of fifty cents, and one-, two-, three-, and five-dollar denominations. All of these notes were recalled when the new parts for the mint came.

5. The first really successful gold coins minted in Utah appeared in September 1849 in denominations of two-and-a-half, five, ten, and twenty dollars. The phrase “Holiness to the Lord” surrounded an all-seeing eye and a priesthood emblem. On the reverse side were two clasped hands above the date of issue, surrounded by the denomination and the letters G.S.L.C.P.G., an abbreviation for “Great Salt Lake City Pure Gold.” These coins were minted unchanged until 1860 except for adding nine stars to the five-dollar piece in 1850.6

6. This new five-dollar gold piece was redesigned by J. M. Barlow and Douglas Dougall Brown in 1860. On the obverse (the front or principal side), “Holiness to the Lord” in Deseret Alphabet script frames a lion crouched under three mountain peaks by a stream. (The mountains were eliminated in the final minting.) On the reverse appears a beehive under an eagle gripping laurel branches and grain. The words “Deseret Assay Office Pure Gold” circle the edge.7

Zoins

@1northcoin said:
I just located my copy of Alvin E. Rust's book, "Mormon and Utah Coin and Currency." (1984) with its writings on Mormon Gold.
...
As noted in the OP's initial reporting, John Kay engraved the dies and minted the coins but he was assisted by others who engraved the first stamps for the coins and included Alfred B. Lambson who forged the dies, punches, and tools and collars. This appears to partially answer a question above about where the dies came from for the coinage.

Here's some info on Alfred Boaz Lambson:

https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/individual/alfred-boaz-lambson-1820
https://familypedia.wikia.org/wiki/Alfred_Boaz_Lambson_(1820-1905)

It's interesting that he's mentioned by Alvin Rust, but not the Church. Also the Church mentions John Taylor, and Robert Campbell but they are not in Alvin Rust's excerpt.

Namvet69

All this history is great, thanks to all who shared here. I absolutely loved seeing the die images, the forge wrapped metal base on the die on the left is amazing. Talk about bringing coins to life. @Zoins special thanks to you. Peace Roy

Zoins

Glenn N. Rowe wrote:
This new five-dollar gold piece was redesigned by J. M. Barlow and Douglas Dougall Brown in 1860. On the obverse (the front or principal side), “Holiness to the Lord” in Deseret Alphabet script frames a lion crouched under three mountain peaks by a stream. (The mountains were eliminated in the final minting.) On the reverse appears a beehive under an eagle gripping laurel branches and grain. The words “Deseret Assay Office Pure Gold” circle the edge.7

How many of these patterns exist? Do the dies for these still exist?

Here's the only one I found:

1860 $5 Mormon Gold Pattern - Kagin-8 - R7 - XF 40 Cleaned - Ex. Eugene Peterson

https://coins.ha.com/itm/territorial-gold/mormon-5-1860/a/208-7722.s

Heritage wrote:

1860 Mormon Five Dollar Pattern, K-8

1860 $5 Mormon Five Dollar Pattern XF 40 Cleaned. K-8, R.7. The obverse features a reclining lion with mountains behind and Mormon script around the periphery (HOLINESS TO THE LORD). A diagonal die break bisects that side, as on all known specimens. The reverse is the same as on the adopted design for the beehive $5. That side also has a distinctive, bisecting die crack. Struck in copper with a plain edge. An interesting pattern and the first we have seen of this non-adopted design. Each side is unnaturally bright from cleaning with some darkening around the devices. Listed on page 369 of Don Kagin's reference on Territorials.
From the Eugene Peterson Collection.

Zoins

Interesting 1898 restrike.

Anyone have background on these and know why they were struck?

Photos from Timothy E. Carroll / Numismatic Financial Corporation.

https://www.nfccoins.com/products/15660

Mark

@1northcoin You mention the book by Rust. Is this book worth buying and reading (even if the odds of acquiring a Mormon gold coin are low )?

cccoins

Page 7 of this magazine references Kuner and the 1960 Mormon die set. It is a common story retold in many older books and periodicals.

https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/518854?page=8

1northcoin

@Mark said:
@1northcoin You mention the book by Rust. Is this book worth buying and reading (even if the odds of acquiring a Mormon gold coin are low )?

In a word, yes. While it includes many photos, unfortunately none are in color. The Mormon gold story is only a small portion as the book covers an extended time period reaching back to the highly sought after Kirtland Ohio notes before the Mormons made their exodus to Missouri, Illinois (Nauvoo), and eventually Utah.

It also included some erroneous information that was sourced from counterfeiter Mark Hoffman which is corrected in an appendix that Rust added after the book's initial publication.

I suspect one may be able to acquire a copy by contacting Alvin's reputable son who has a store in Orem, Utah.

Zoins

Here's some information on the coin in the OP, which looks gorgeous. Is this the pinnacle of Mormon Gold? It was just sold for $720,000 at Heritage's FUN auction this year.

• https://www.pcgs.com/cert/81120921
• https://www.ldsliving.com/A-Million-Dollar-Question-How-Much-Is-This-Mormon-Coin-Worth/s/82615
• https://coinweek.com/education/coin-grading/pcgs/pcgs-grades-finest-known-mormon-20-discovery-coin/

PCGS wrote:

The coin was tucked away within a family’s lock box for over 50 years, dating back to the 1960s, until it was discovered and brought to Ira & Larry Goldberg Auctioneers, who immediately submitted the coin to PCGS for authentication and grading.

PCGS was able to grade this coin:

@homerunhall said:

I have viewed the famous Lilly coin in the Smithsonian National Collection. As I stated in my narrative for PCGS CoinFacts, I believe PCGS would grade that coin MS61. This new discovery coin is, in my opinion, superior to the Lilly coin, and as such the finest known example of this historically important U.S. gold coin rarity. I’ve been paying attention to ‘Territorial’ gold for 46 years, and this is the finest Mormon $20 I have ever seen.

The family that found the coin brought it to Goldbergs:

Larry Goldberg said:

When I first saw the coin, it was beyond belief to me that a Mormon $20 could have such wonderful luster and beautiful gold toning. I have handled several Mormon $20 gold coins and have never seen one in this condition

Zoins

@Namvet69 said:
All this history is great, thanks to all who shared here. I absolutely loved seeing the die images, the forge wrapped metal base on the die on the left is amazing. Talk about bringing coins to life. @Zoins special thanks to you. Peace Roy

Thanks for the kind words and to everyone for contributing!

I love learning about our country's coins and history. It's wonderful to share with and learn from those that enjoy the same!

Zoins

Here's some more great information on where the gold came from including Mormon participation in James Marshall's discovery of gold, "Mormon Island" and the Mormon Battalion's participation in the Mexican-American War.

https://www.ksl.com/article/41207623/looking-back-at-mormon-gold-coins-other-historical-utah-currencies

Carter Williams wrote:

How Salt Lake City became the first city to mint coins made from California gold started with the Mormon Battalion, which marched into San Diego during the Mexican-American War.

Some members of the Mormon Battalion ventured north and began working for foreman James Marshall at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. Those battalion members wound up helping Marshall discover gold in January 1848, which eventually sparked the famous California gold rush.

A few months later, those Mormon Battalion workers went on to settle their own mining town called Mormon Island and gold was found there, too. The gold found at Mormon Island made its way to modern-day Utah, where it would go on to be minted.

LDS president Brigham Young, and LDS officials John Taylor and John Kay, designed the dies for the first coins, according to LDS church historians. Twenty-five $10 pieces were made on the first run, while another 21 were made on the second. But likely due to inexperience, there were several hardships during minting process.

“In the manufacturing process … the crucible that was used to melt this raw gold plaster broke and there wasn’t any other,” said Robert Campbell, owner of All About Coins in Salt Lake City.

Mormon Island has it's own Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Island,_California

Mormon Island was once a mining town, which had an abundance of Mormon immigrants seeking gold in the American River during the California Gold Rush. Its site is in present-day Sacramento County, California.

Early in March 1848, W. Sidney, S. Willis, and Wilford Hudson, members of the Mormon Battalion, set out from Sutter's Fort to hunt deer. Stopping on the south fork of the American River, they found gold. They told their story on returning to the fort, and soon about 150 Mormons and other miners flocked to the site, which was named Mormon Island. This was the first major gold strike in California after James W. Marshall's discovery at Coloma. The population of the town in 1853 was more than 2,500. It had four hotels, three dry-goods stores, five general merchandise stores, an express office, and many small shops. The first ball in Sacramento County was held there on December 25, 1849. A fire destroyed the town in 1856, and it was never rebuilt. The community dwindled after the California gold rush and only a scattered few families were left in the 1940s.

panexpoguy

@Zoins said:
What does rolling golden bars like wagon tires mean?

The October 5, 1850, issue of the Deseret News reported: “We stepped into the mint the other day and saw two or three men rolling the golden bars, like wagon tires, ready for the dies. This is what makes trade brisk.”

I imagine that putting a bar through the rollers to make a strip from which to punch planchettes was similar to how the metal hoops for wagon wheels were manufactured?

1northcoin

@Zoins. thanks for that added history regarding the second major discovery of gold in California at what came to be known as Mormon Island on the American River.

Curious if anyone today continues to mine for gold on the American River.

1northcoin

If I recall correctly there was also a gold discovery by Mormon pioneers near Carson City. Nevada. It may have even predated the California Gold Rush,

Edited to add:

It was June 1, 1850 and the Mormon community was Dayton, Nevada. (Although another authority references 1849 as the year of discovery without providing a specific day and month.)

Ironically the discoverer was a John Orr. It is credited as the first gold discovery in Nevada and led to later finds of Silver in the Comstock of the same region which included Carson and Virginia Cities.

1northcoin

@panexpoguy said:

@Zoins said:
What does rolling golden bars like wagon tires mean?

The October 5, 1850, issue of the Deseret News reported: “We stepped into the mint the other day and saw two or three men rolling the golden bars, like wagon tires, ready for the dies. This is what makes trade brisk.”

I imagine that putting a bar through the rollers to make a strip from which to punch planchettes was similar to how the metal hoops for wagon wheels were manufactured?

Sounds right. Thanks for posting.

Zoins

@panexpoguy said:

@Zoins said:
What does rolling golden bars like wagon tires mean?

The October 5, 1850, issue of the Deseret News reported: “We stepped into the mint the other day and saw two or three men rolling the golden bars, like wagon tires, ready for the dies. This is what makes trade brisk.”

I imagine that putting a bar through the rollers to make a strip from which to punch planchettes was similar to how the metal hoops for wagon wheels were manufactured?

Makes a lot of sense! Thanks!

It's great to hear how people used to talk about things we still do today.

Zoins

While searching for gold coins, I found a photo of what the gold plates from which The Book of Mormon is transcribed looked like. Until now, I had no idea what they looked like.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/gold-plates?lang=eng

LDS Church wrote:

Witnesses later left statements that detailed the plates’ material composition, weight, dimensions, thickness, and binding. The plates weighed about “forty to sixty” pounds,8 and together were between four and six inches thick.9 The leaves measured about “six” or “seven inches wide by eight inches in length”10 and individually had the thickness “of plates of tin”11 and, according to Emma Smith, would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book.”12 Three D-shaped rings bound the leaves “through the back edges”13 into a volume. According to one witness, there was a sealant securing “about the half of the book” from tampering. This sealed portion made it impossible to separate the leaves and “appeared as solid as wood.”14 Joseph Smith derived his translation from the loose leaves of the plates.15

1northcoin

@1northcoin said:
Thanks for great posts. Learned some new things. Here is the original $5 coin. The pictured coin is one I once owned and was subsequently replaced by another 1849 $5 Mormon Gold coin. 1850 also saw a design change for the $5 coin.

Some years later (1860) another $5 Mormon Gold Coin was minted that had inscriptions in the new Deseret Alphabet on it and featured a lion. I still have one that I picked up from the Salt Lake coin dealer Alvin Rust who used to use its image on his calling card. (Edited to add, see my post below for more information on the 1860 coin.)

Apparently 1849 was the only year that Mormon Gold coins were made in any other denomination than $5.

@1northcoin said:
This from a display of Mormon gold coins at the museum across the street from Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

This photo, which I also took at the same location, can be found at page 267 of Karl V. Moulton's book, "John J. Ford, Jr. and The 'Franklin Hoard' ". His caption for my photo reads, "Mormon die making tools and dies on exhibit in Salt Lake City, Utah."

Just located this additional photo I took which shows the entire exhibit located at the museum across from Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

Included is Brigham Young's safe and the full Mormon Money display.

1northcoin

@Zoins said:
I've looked at a lot of Mormon Gold photos but never read much about it until recently.

The following photos and excerpt is fascinating to me. The quoted text below is just a short amount from the article so do click through if you're interested.

The Deseret Mint looks like the middle set of buildings below.

https://www.historynet.com/self-reliant-mormons-started-deseret-mint-money-mill.htm

Locating the Deseret Mint where the Mormon Gold Coins were minted:

Compare the photo in the OP'S offered painting to the building pictured below. If I am correct, the building with the smoke coming out of its smokestack correlates to the building seen on the wall of the Mormon Money Exhibit at the museum located across from Salt Lake City's Temple Square.

BryceM

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing. I’ve always loved the design and detail of the Lion $5. Possibly, someday, I’ll pursue one seriously.

1northcoin

Was going through some old papers this weekend and came across some readers printed in the Deseret Alphabet as included on the Lion $5.

1northcoin

OK, here is what I located regarding the Deseret Alphabet which appears on the 1860 $5 Mormon Gold Lion Coin as pictured in several of the above posts.

First, the book published using the Deseret Alphabet including an included key page identifying the individual letters:

And here are experts from an article that discusses various alternative alphabets to include the Deseret Alphabet as well as an explanation for its limited time of use by the Mormons due to the advent of the transcontinental railroad.

Zoins

That's awesome @1northcoin ! I wonder if anyone can read / write Deseret Alphabet now.

Here's some info on the alphabet from Wikipedia:

The Deseret alphabet (/ˌdɛzəˈrɛt/ (About this soundlisten); Deseret: 𐐔𐐯𐑅𐐨𐑉𐐯𐐻 or 𐐔𐐯𐑆𐐲𐑉𐐯𐐻) is a phonemic English-language spelling reform developed between 1847 and 1854 by the board of regents of the University of Deseret under the leadership of Brigham Young, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). George D. Watt is reported to have been the most actively involved in the development of the script, as well as being its first serious user.

During the alphabet's heyday between 1854 and 1869, books, newspapers, street signs and correspondence used the new letters, but despite heavy and costly promotion by the early LDS Church, the alphabet never enjoyed prolonged widespread use and has been regarded by historians as a failure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_alphabet

1northcoin

Thanks for adding.

1northcoin

Although I have had the book printed in the Deseret Alphabet for a number of years, it was only in posting the photo I took of it this week that I noticed an interesting anomaly. As pictured on the cover of the 1869 published book the Salt Lake Temple is shown with a cross on top. Since the temple itself was still under construction in 1869 this may well have been the artist exercising his/her artistic license rather than anything in the plans. Of course as completed the Angel Moroni, and not a cross tops the Salt Lake City Temple and to my knowledge crosses do not appear on any of the church or temple buildings of the Faith.

Here are some added points of interest relating to the time period between the 1860 $5 Mormon Gold coin inscribed with letters of the Deseret Alphabet and the Salt Lake City Temple's completion in 1893.

• The building of the temple was announced within days of the Mormon Pioneers 1847 arrival in the Salt Lake Valley.

*The original cornerstone was layed in 1853 and work on the foundation continued to 1857 when a potentially hostile U.S. Army came to Utah.

• As a protective measure the foundation was buried to protect it from any invasion.

• The Deseret Alphabet inscriptions appeared on the 1860 $5 Mormon Gold Coin also featuring a Lion.

• In 1861 the U.S. Army withdrew and left for the just starting Civil War

• The 1869 date of publication of the pictured book evidenced at least a nine year period the Deseret Alphabet continued to be used.

• By 1869 construction on the Salt Lake City Temple had resumed, although fortuitously the burying of the original foundation evidenced that the now cracked stones were unsuitable and the firestone was replaced with granite.

*1869 also saw completion of the transcontinental railroad with the final spike being driven in Utah.

• The Salt Lake Temple was completed in 1893, some 40 years after its construction had started.

cccoins

@1northcoin said:
Although I have had the book printed in the Deseret Alphabet for a number of years, it was only in posting the photo I took of it this week that I noticed an interesting anomaly. As pictured on the cover of the 1869 published book the Salt Lake Temple is shown with a cross on top. Since the temple itself was still under construction in 1869 this may well have been the artist exercising his/her artistic license rather than anything in the plans. Of course as completed the Angel Moroni, and not a cross tops the Salt Lake City Temple and to my knowledge crosses do not appear on any of the church or temple buildings of the Faith.

I agree 100% that it wouldn’t be a cross, but could be an alternate depiction of Moroni.

1northcoin

@cccoins, very possible. The original Nauvoo Temple that preceded the building of the Salt Lake Temple did have the horizontal placed angel, but it was not replicated for the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple as seen in the photo I took just after its completion.

cccoins

@1northcoin said:
@cccoins, very possible. The original Nauvoo Temple that preceded the building of the Salt Lake Temple did have the horizontal placed angel, but it was not replicated for the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple as seen in the photo I took just after its completion.

Correct. As a side note, I always wanted a full size Nauvoo sun stone. That would be an incredible piece of history to behold.

1northcoin

@cccoins said:

@1northcoin said:
@cccoins, very possible. The original Nauvoo Temple that preceded the building of the Salt Lake Temple did have the horizontal placed angel, but it was not replicated for the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple as seen in the photo I took just after its completion.

Correct. As a side note, I always wanted a full size Nauvoo sun stone. That would be an incredible piece of history to behold.

Well there is one in the Smithsonian to at least view.

The only other existing one I know of was sitting out in the weather in a Nauvoo Park when I saw it in 1966.

That was just before the Nauvoo Restoration project in the late 60s that has restored many of the historic houses and buildings. It should still be available to view at a now secure and protective setting in Nauvoo.

cccoins

@1northcoin said:

@cccoins said:

@1northcoin said:
@cccoins, very possible. The original Nauvoo Temple that preceded the building of the Salt Lake Temple did have the horizontal placed angel, but it was not replicated for the rebuilt Nauvoo Temple as seen in the photo I took just after its completion.

Correct. As a side note, I always wanted a full size Nauvoo sun stone. That would be an incredible piece of history to behold.

Well there is one in the Smithsonian to at least view.

The only other existing one I know of was sitting out in the weather in a Nauvoo Park when I saw it in 1966.

That was just before the Nauvoo Restoration project in the late 60s that has restored many of the historic houses and buildings. It should still be available to view at a now secure and protective setting in Nauvoo.

I have seen the one at the smithsonian a couple of times, and it is amazing. There is a third survivor in private hands in the Missouri area.