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British Columbia -Canada "Gold" a recent mention of another member

YQQYQQ Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭✭✭
Recently member Gene 1960NYGiants suggested that I might know more about the elusive British Columbia Gold Coins.
I actually did not. But I wanted to find out as I live in BC. So I did a bit of research. Here it is. Please note copyright of other parties who have an interest in this matter. Thank You and enjoy.

The original article about the BC coins from 1862 was published some time ago by ‘CoinsnCanada’, a well known and much respected Canadian coin site.

The images are copied from the Bank of Canada currency museum site and are owned by the Bank of Canada.

Link to an Article about BC 1862 coins:

http://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-articles.php?article=newfoundland,-two-dollars,-1870&id=364

British Columbia, 10 & 20 dollars, 1862

By Library and Archives Canada | Monday, 29 March 2004

In the late 1850s, gold was discovered in the Fraser River and Cariboo districts of British Columbia. The gold rush that followed brought a large influx of new inhabitants, changing the colony virtually overnight from a small settlement based on trading to a rapidly expanding one. The almost complete lack of a circulating medium occasioned great inconvenience. In 1859, Governor James Douglas requested Her Majesty's government to ship out a specified quantity of gold, silver and copper coins. Silver and copper coins amounting to little more than half the value requested were shipped, but no gold coins.
The governor, well aware that California had solved a similar problem during the gold rush of 1849 by minting large quantities of the newly-mined gold, decided in 1862 that the most logical and direct way to meet the situation was to set up a mint at New Westminster and coin $10 and $20 gold pieces. Minting machinery was purchased in San Francisco, and the dies for the first coins were engraved there by a renowned engraver, Albert Kuner. Production started shortly thereafter. Specimens of the new coins were sent to Great Britain but the whole plan met with immediate disapproval. The right to strike and issue coins was the prerogative of the Crown, not of an official in a remote colony. No more coins were struck and the mint was dismantled.
The exact number of pieces produced is not known, as the mint records have disappeared. At present, nine $20 gold pieces and seven $10 gold pieces are accounted for in public and private collections. The last piece to come on the market was the $20 gold piece in King Farouk's collection, which was sold in 1954 for ?1400. It is estimated that if a piece came on the market today it would bring not less than $200,000.
Collection by the Royal Mint, London.
(copyright for above article : CoinsandCanada)

Coin properties and Details for $10

image
Please see link: http://www.bankofcanadamuseum.ca/collection/artefact/view/1976.0102.00006.000/canada-government-of-british-columbia-10-dollars-1862

Coin properties and Details for $20

image

http://www.bankofcanadamuseum.ca/collection/artefact/view/1976.0102.00005.000/canada-government-of-british-columbia-20-dollars-1862


Copyright for coin details images: Bank of Canada Currency Museum
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Comments

  • Jackthecat1Jackthecat1 Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭
    Fascinating. Thank you for posting this.
    Member ANS, ANA, GSNA, TNC



    image
  • 1960NYGiants1960NYGiants Posts: 3,532 ✭✭✭✭
    Thanks YQQ.



    Sid Belzberg has or had a set of the $10 & $20 BC in both gold and silver. When he sold his collection in 2003 thru Heritage, lots 15804 thru 15806, these coins did not meet their reserve. The catalogue did not list the reserve and the website doesn't either. I think he tried at least once more at auction and again did not meet reserve. It's possible that a private transaction was done but my research has come up empty.
    Gene

    Life member #369 of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
    Member of Canadian Association of Token Collectors

    Collector of:
    Canadian coins and pre-confederation tokens
    Darkside proof/mint sets dated 1960
    My Ebay
  • 1960NYGiants1960NYGiants Posts: 3,532 ✭✭✭✭
    Gene

    Life member #369 of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
    Member of Canadian Association of Token Collectors

    Collector of:
    Canadian coins and pre-confederation tokens
    Darkside proof/mint sets dated 1960
    My Ebay
  • 1960NYGiants1960NYGiants Posts: 3,532 ✭✭✭✭
    Just reread the small print at Gatewest:



    This coin is jointly owned by Gatewest Coin (Winnipeg, MB) and Proof Positive Coins (Baddeck, NS). I.E. Joe Iorio and Sandy Campbell have joint ownership.



    Tony Mah has purchased the silver coins.
    Gene

    Life member #369 of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
    Member of Canadian Association of Token Collectors

    Collector of:
    Canadian coins and pre-confederation tokens
    Darkside proof/mint sets dated 1960
    My Ebay
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,808 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's a surprisingly "modern" looking sans-serif font used on the reverse. But I know there were some British patterns of the period that also used a font like that. (Sort of like Arial.)

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • ashelandasheland Posts: 23,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cool thread!
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