California Gold Ingots

giorgio11

Does anybody know what 1840s-1850s California gold ingots were known before the discovery of all those aboard the S.S. Central America? I think maybe some F.D. Kohler ingots were known before but am not quite sure what was around pre-SSCA. Thanks ...

GoldenEyeNumismatics

Many of the ingots that were known prior to the SSCA discovery were of questionable authenticity. The significance of the SSCA find was not only that there were so many bars, but that they were unquestionably genuine.

CaptHenway

Don Kagin did a great book on western gold that I am sure is available from the ANA library.

firstmint

Moffat gold bars of various amounts were, and are presently known. They are genuine.

Be extremely careful if you are considering the purchase of any other "old" gold bar. There's more fakes than real 19th century pieces, and some of the currently known fakes copied the genuine bars.

Don Kagin is working on a revised edition of his book, and it will be the authoritive volume on the subject.

Likewise, Fred Holabird is (and has been for several years) working on an ingot book of Western ingots (both good and bad).

There will be a list of what what known in numismatic circles prior to 1950 in my forthcoming book, "John J. Ford, Jr., and the Franklin Hoard", along with color images of numerous real, and fake, gold bars.

giorgio11

<< <i>Moffat gold bars of various amounts were, and are presently known. They are genuine.

Be extremely careful if you are considering the purchase of any other "old" gold bar. There's more fakes than real 19th century pieces, and some of the currently known fakes copied the genuine bars.

Don Kagin is working on a revised edition of his book, and it will be the authoritive volume on the subject.

Likewise, Fred Holabird is (and has been for several years) working on an ingot book of Western ingots (both good and bad).

There will be a list of what what known in numismatic circles prior to 1950 in my forthcoming book, "John J. Ford, Jr., and the Franklin Hoard", along with color images of numerous real, and fake, gold bars. >>



That sounds like an extremely interesting book. I read some of the Hodder-Buttrey debate controversy at 1999 ANA in the Dan Owens Cailfornia Coiners and Assayers. Gripping stuff! Thank you for the information and I look forward to purchasing your book.

Dennis88

I saw the movie "True Grit" the other day (the 2010 version) and they were talking about two "California gold pieces". One of them was shown in the movie and was a small ingot, possibly meant to resemble a Moffat or Kohler gold ingot from the late 1840s/early 1850s.

That made me think, as the movie is set in Arkansas and what was then Indian Territory (now Oklahama). To what extent did these small gold ingots actually circulate as cash among individuals?

Re: the Kagin book, it was published in the early 1980s prior to the discovery of the SSCA. While not all of it is guaranteed to be genuine (at least not to my knowledge, per the comment of GoldenEyeNumismatics and Firstmint) it still is a relatively complete listing of what was known at the time.

Dennis