Anyone have gold bars from 1944? Photos added of Saudi bullion pieces.
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
Does anyone happen to have gold bars weighing 5.4543 Troy ounces from the New York Assay Office with a 1944 or 1945 stamp?
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No, but I can't wait to hear what they were made for!
What fineness are you seeking?
bob
0.916
Okay, Roger, what's the back story???? Can't wait to hear it.
bob
Yes ... the backstory is eagerly awaited! Given the dates I suspect it is connected to payment for war related goods and/or services.
For the present, the story will have to wait. Need one of these for study first.
5.4543 Troy ounces of 22 carat gold (0.9167) is exactly 5.0 Troy ounces of pure gold.
Sounds like something that would be coined into Sovereigns or used in a place where British gold coin standards prevailed.
Smart guy! Maybe you should be doing research?
Saudi Arabian oil?
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Four Pound round piece produced for payments to Saudi Arabia were struck at Philadelphia 1945 -46. These were 22 carat pieces.
Did they ever do 22kt? I have never seen a Mint or Assay Office bar in 22kt.
No oil connection, sorry.
I would generally defer to your vast expertise, good Captain, but the four pounds (equivalent) gold rounds for Saudi Arabia had to be struck from something, and perhaps the Philadelphia Mint could not refine gold to the British standard. Or perhaps the Philadelphia Mint could not refine any gold by the mid-1940s.
These Saudi four pounds (four sovereign equivalent) and the slightly later one pound (one sovereign equivalent) gold rounds used to be in the annual editions of the Red Book, but have seemingly disappeared. I had to look in Krause-Mischler to find them.
Sorry then, our posts crossed in the electronic ether.
The aid those who are not familiar with US Mint gold pieces produced for Saudi Arabia, here are photos of genuine 4-pound and 1-pound pieces. They are not coins, but uniform bullion pieces with no legal tender value.
The large pieces were approximately the diameter of a US double eagle, and the small ones about the size of a US half eagle. The eagle was adapted by John Sinnock from the bullion stamp then in use at the Philadelphia Mint.
I've been searching for the gold bar for 4 years....nothing yet.
Perhaps I should have said "Did they ever do any 22kt bars?" I have never seen a U.S. Mint or Assay Office 22kt bar.
Technically the U.S. Mints never struck any 22kt "coins" in the period in question as the Treasury will tell you that the Saudi Arabian pieces are "disks," not "coins."
The U.S. Mint did produce 22kt planchets for Peruvian Libras in 1916, 1917 and 1919.
While it doesn't fall in the earlier period by any stretch of the imagination, modern even-weight American Gold Eagles (since 1986) are 22 carat gold and technically they do have dollar denominations.
Never say never because the modern U.S. Mint has broken practically every historic rule and venerable tradition that we ever grew up with.
I thought the very early gold eagles were 22kt.
Amazing thread
I appreciate the education.
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Interesting thread... and my favorite subject - gold. Roger, do you have pictures of the gold bars you are seeking? I am sure there is some evidence they were produced.... but pictures would be interesting. Cheers, RickO
I have no photos of the bars I'm looking for. They are not described in any numismatic or US Mint literature. I identified them from documents relating to the NYAO during WW-II research.
way cool, i like
What are commonly called "100 ounce bars" and "400 ounce bars" almost never are exact weight. They are just a class of bar which, when traded, are accounted for at the exact weight stamped on the individual bar.
If there is a reference in the documents to a "five ounce bar," which I am not familiar with, it is possible that this is just a class of bar that they made for sale to the jewelry or dental gold trade. Order a "five ounce bar" and you might get one that is 4.87 OZ. or 5.28 OZ. or whatever and pay accordingly.
These were adjusted to weigh exactly as stated. There were many of them produced for a specific purpose during the War.