CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH COINS which ones....

JTMC

would i look for as far as dates from the time of the gold rush.i want to start collecting them and i would just like to have something from that era. any help would be apreciated. thanks
john

relayer

First there are many modern restrikes and replicas (which have a bear on the reverse) so watch out for those.

I know a PCGS dealer that has a lot in his personal collection. His name is Richard from California Numismatic Funding 760-758-1200.

He could hook you up with some and is a nice enough guy to discuss them with you if you wanted to call him.

michael

for me
the ultimate would be a gold piece dated from *************1849****************
remember the song of the miner 49 ers?

maybe you could buy a morman gold piece 1849? and i think kagins has one or two for sale??

another second choice would be a gold piece from 1850
or an s mint liberty twenty from the early 1850's maybe a nice higher grade circulated coin like an au??but NOT one of the ss central america coins

or maybe an early california gold token certified by pcgs? if you buy a raw coin just make sure you know exactly what you are looking at or you know and trust completely the dealer whom you buy it from

also i think if you buy a coin that has demand and popularity combined with great eye appeal and with good value that would be the best of the best

as for me the above just gives you more information to make a better decsison for yourself i hope you make all the right ones!!

sincerely michael

kranky

If you have a Redbook (if not, you should get one) you can check in the back for listings of Territorial Gold and California Small Denomination Gold. That will give you a good idea of what prices are. As relayer said, there are many fakes out there so you must deal with a reputable outfit.

The Redbook reports that the Cal. small denomination pieces were made from 1854-1882 in quarter dollar, half dollar, and dollar denominations in both round and octogonal shapes. After 1856 the need and acceptability of the pieces declined. It says that about 10,000 pieces TOTAL are all that are estimated to exist. The small denomination pieces are listed in the Redbook in EF40 prices ranging from as low as $90 for a quarter dollar piece to over $1000 for certain dollar pieces. The Redbook doesn't list them by date, only by variety.

The large denominations ($5 and up) start at over $1000 in any condition listed.

tjkillian

I have a 1854-S eagle. It is the first year the San Francisco Mint was operating. The gold HAD to have come from the Sierra's as who would have brought gold to California in 1854? Among the beauties of it is the fact that it is very cheap as they made a lot of them, unlike the quarter eagle. I would call it a gold rush coin with no hesitation. Mine is a in VF-30, raw.

Tom

CarlWohlforth

There is a new reprint of the Breen and Gillio book "Californian Pioneer Fractional Gold". Does anybody know if it is any good? Where is the cheapest place I can buy it? I'm thinking this is another case where I bought the coin before the book

AquilaRose

I purchased one of the 1/4 oz Gold restrikes that Relayer speaks of from Richard at California Numismatic Funding when I was living in Southern California a few years ago. Richard is a good guy and a a pleasure to deal with. I like the coin very much and all of these coins are struck with California Gold and if I remember correctly you do not pay sales tax on these if you purchase them in CA.

AquilaRose

Carl is this the book you are talking about?

Book on eBay

I have never purchased from this seller so I don't know their credentials.

they also have been known to sell the re-strikes mentioned earlier.

agentjim007

You asked the years. that would be the 1850's. If you have the bucks the Territorial issues are the best historical documents of the era. I have an Assay $50 and love it for the reasons that seem to interest you. Forget the comment to stay away from the SSCA $20's. They are an important historical document from the Territorial era. You have a historical issued that documents the struggle to transport that was part of that era. A treasure lost for over a century until modern technology brought them back from a time capsule beneath the sea. I have one of those also because they do represent the era. Someone always has to knock these coins why I'm not sure they don't like them don't buy one. As a happy owner I do get sick of that crap.

CarlWohlforth

Yup, that's the book!

Agflyer

I don't know anything about Bowers and Merena, but here's a link to their $1.
edited to add: Oops, I should have read the "California" specification of your thread .

eureka

If you're looking for a US Mint coin, the best is the 1848 Cal $2.50 Eagle.
Territorial-wise, the $50 Octagonal slugs are popular. As mentioned previously, Kagin's is the leading expert and dealer in this area.
As for the small denomination California gold pieces, most dated 1852-1856 are generally accepted as having circulated during the coin shortages prior to the SF mint opening. The book mentioned above just came out a couple weeks ago, and is excellent. It can be ordered from Bower's & Merena for about $30 for the softcover. I think the hardcovers are sold out. If you're interests are going to include these, I highly recommend sticking to PCGS slabbed varieties until you're comfortable with determining the difference between an old denominated coin and a token that could have been made anywhere from 1870 to the late 1990's Japanese reproductions that are wasting space on Ebay right now.