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Cal Gold Fractional experts opinions wanted...

... as to authenticity and value. The wife's society received these from a donor and they are to be sold. I believe they are genuine gold. I need to know the value so they don't get taken to the bank when they sell 'em!

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Comments

  • TomBTomB Posts: 20,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They are modern reproduction or fantasy pieces, but they may or may not have gold content. Here is an excellent site by Mike Locke on this subject.
    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • robecrobec Posts: 6,581 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You might try Mike Locke's site for a starter.


    Cal Gold
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    There is a site that has all of these tokens and the different variety, but I do not have it on this computer. They are not so old, maybe the 1950's? I may be wrong about the age. -Dan
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    Well there you are. Actually struck earlier than I remember. -Dan
  • Fakeity fake image
  • DieClashDieClash Posts: 3,688 ✭✭✭
    I suspect that they are not contemporary pieces. Below is the insert and envelope they came in. But, there are many "replicas" produced in gold specie and even some of the counterfeits are just as valuable as the originals or so I have read. I've been to Mike Locke's website a number of times. Seems you need to become a paid subscriber to access some of his content now. Does anyone know if he has published a book on his research? I'd certainly prefer to buy it as an atlernative to subscribing to the website to find out if these "souvenir" pieces have any value.

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    "Please help us keep these boards professional and informative…. And fun." - DW
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    BONGO HURTLES ALONG THE RAIN SODDEN HIGHWAY OF LIFE ON UNDERINFLATED BALD RETREAD TIRES
  • BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The general rule that I have heard since childhood was that no denomination=fake.


    From Mike Locke's site:


    Q: I have a California gold coin that gives the denomination as 1/4, 1/2,
    or 1 and has a bear depected beneath that. What is it?

    A: You have a California gold souvenir token. These souvenirs
    were made from about 1900 through 1970 and are usually gold plated brass. They
    are valued from $2 to $80 (higher value for the early issue solid gold pieces).
    Not all souvenir tokens from this period have the bear on the back, but all
    tokens with the bear are tokens from this period. See my California gold token
    guide for a listing of the varieties that I have seen.
  • orevilleoreville Posts: 11,772 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 1855 and 1857 MIGHT have a small amount of gold content but quite unlikely. The 1852 definitely has no gold content.

    I have seen hundreds of the 1852 token you showed us and they never had any gold whatsoever.

    A Collectors Universe poster since 1997!

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