A Dahlonega Odyssey: Completion of the Auraria Collection
Boosibri
Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
Boosibri
Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭✭
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<< <i>Great article with a lot of good advice! >>
<< <i>One of the advantages of sticking with one dealer is that if a great coin becomes available you may get the first shot at it before anyone else is even aware of it >>
Some sage advice
It is funny that I almost named my collection the "Auraria Collection". Good thing I decided to keep the name closer to town as it would have been a little embarrassing having my small collection named the same as his. It is kind of fun that many of the great Dahlonega collections have taken local names...Dukes Creek, Chestatee, North Georgia, and yes, Findley Ridge
Dahlonega claims the title of America's First Major Gold Rush. But the truth is it was Auraria that should hold that title. Auraria is/was located about 6 miles south of Dahlonega and sat on a small ridge right between the Chestatee River and the Etowah River, both having major placer deposits. After gold was discovered in the area in 1828 this small community located on Cherokee Land, known at the time as Nuckollsville later named Auraria (latin for gold), quickly grew from a handful of people to over 10,000. In 1832 the land was officially declared as part of Georgia and the County was named Lumpkin, for the Governor at the time. All Cherokee Land was parceled to Georgia residences in the Land Lottery of 1832. Auraria was the logical choice to be the county seat, but the person who won the downtown Auraria lot apparently falsely represented himself in registering for the lottery and it put the title of the town in jeopardy. The State thought it too risky to name Auraria the county seat figuring the land title was going to be in dispute for years. Instead they chose a tiny community of a couple of houses up the road called "licklog" or "talonega" by the Cherokee. Talonega means yellow money in Cherokee and Dahlonega became the english translation.
The naming of Dahlonega as the county seat 1832 began Auraria's decline and Dahlonega's boom. Although the town survived through the 1800s it is today a ghost town.
Again, a huge Congratulations to the Auraria Collection!
Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia
Findley Ridge Collection
About Findley Ridge
<< <i>Tolenega means yellow money in Cherokee and Dahlonega became the english translation. >>
Now that is a very interesting factoid.
<< <i>It's nice to see that many of the top Dahlonega collectors are locals to the area who take keen interest in their state/county/town history. >>
Much of the allure to collecting Dahlonega is the history of the mint and town...and lack thereof.
Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia
Findley Ridge Collection
About Findley Ridge
I've often wondered if Dahlonega was the 1st Gold Rush. Gold was discovered in Villa Rica,Ga. in 1826!
<< <i>Nice Collection!
I've often wondered if Dahlonega was the 1st Gold Rush. Gold was discovered in Villa Rica,Ga. in 1826! >>
Yes it was. And gold was discovered in NC in 1799. But the land was all private property so therefore no "Rush". People mined there own property and leased the rights to others. Being this was Cherokee land prospectors trespassed in throngs creating a Rush. Area population grew from less than 100 to over 10000 in just two years. To put that into perspective, the population of Dahlonega is just over 5K today. Federal troops were actually brought in to stop prospectors from trespassing into Cherokee Land but had little success in holding back the thousands. Where they were successful the prospectors would cross into Cherokee Land at night and carry back bags of ore to be panned out during the day.
Joseph J. Singleton - First Superintendent of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega Georgia
Findley Ridge Collection
About Findley Ridge
<< <i>
<< <i>Nice Collection!
I've often wondered if Dahlonega was the 1st Gold Rush. Gold was discovered in Villa Rica,Ga. in 1826! >>
Yes it was. And gold was discovered in NC in 1799. But the land was all private property so therefore no "Rush". People mined there own property and leased the rights to others. Being this was Cherokee land prospectors trespassed in throngs creating a Rush. Area population grew from less than 100 to over 10000 in just two years. To put that into perspective, the population of Dahlonega is just over 5K today. Federal troops were actually brought in to stop prospectors from trespassing into Cherokee Land but had little success in holding back the thousands. Where they were successful the prospectors would cross into Cherokee Land at night and carry back bags of ore to be panned out during the day. >>
I was just reading Wikipedia and it seems Dalonega pulled away a lot of their miners. If I'm not mistaken Villa Rica gold was much finer and more difficult to extract. I believe most was done hydraulically. Obvoiusly you have studied this subject with a great passion. I enjoy learning the history and being corrected if I am wrong!
Love the name of the collection. I also noted that one ex-Auraria coin is now in the Villa Rica collection. Love the local names of the collections!
siliconvalleycoins.com
Congratulations JG you have joined a small band that has achieved a complete Dahlonega set fewer still with varieties!