Introduction
Thomas Price was one of the most educated assayers on the western frontier. Educated in an English school of mines, Price was exposed to western American ores while working in Swansea, Wales. The nature of the ores, and the continued reports of their greatness caused him to move to America, where he worked for two of the leading assay and refining houses in San Francisco for more than twenty years, before opening his own company. He was a leader in the educational community, attained great success, and passed along the firm to his children.
Wales
Thomas Price was born in Brecon, Breconshire, Wales about 1835. He was educated at Normal College in Swansea, Wales, and the Royal School of Mines in London. In Swansea, he started or worked in an assay business, and became a professor there. Swansea was well known to the mining world, because most of the world’s copper ores were smelted at Swansea in 1860. There was so much work there, that most of the metallurgists worked in Swansea at one time or another around 1860.
With the discovery of silver-gold ores of the Comstock, mine owners sent samples to Swansea for analysis. Undoubtedly Price, as well as others, found the ores intriguing and challenging, and were off to California and Nevada and a whole new field of metallurgical work. He departed Wales in 1862 and traveled directly to San Francisco, where he made his home.
San Francisco
Price went to work as an assayer with Kellogg, Hewston & Co. He began teaching a series of private assay and chemistry classes in San Francisco about 1862 or 1863, advertising in the Mining and Scientific Press, the news organ for the western scientific community. The classes lasted for three months, two nights a week, and by June 1863, he was attracting twenty or more students to each class.[16]
About 1865, he supplemented his assaying career by teaching chemistry at the San Francisco City College and Toland Medical College. Kellogg, Hewston & Co. was purchased and the name of the firm changed to the San Francisco Assaying & Refining Works, and Price continued there.[17]
In 1875, Price left the firm and started his own assaying business. About ten years later, he brought in his son as a partner, and changed his firm’s name to Thomas Price & Son. His career was flourishing, and many of his students went on to become assayers, among them Henry Hanks, later a prominent San Francisco assayer himself.[18]
About 1880 Price began using the initials M. D. after his name, probably because of a degree earned from Toland Medical College.[19] By 1887 Price’s business at 524 Sacramento Street had grown. He employed thirteen assistants and boasted the latest and most complete equipment and services. During the course of his career he examined mining properties in all the major mining locations of the west, and even in North Carolina. In 1892 he was commissioned to supervise the establishment of an enormous mining plant in South Africa.[20]
Price died at home at the age of 77 on October 13, 1912. He was father to Arthur, Minnie and Annie, and Mrs. J.P. Turner.
The Price Ingots
Price ingots are very rare. There are perhaps less than five silver and one gold ingot known to the author. They date to the 1875-1885 period when Price was on his own before his son was added as a partner.
The Price logotype punch on this gold ingot is important. It closely resembles the logo punch of the Kellogg & Humbert ingots of the S.S. Central America, with two lines of text held within a rectangle. This commonality is not by chance, since Price first worked for Kellogg & Hewston, the successors to Kellogg & Humbert, and both companies used logotype punches that were identical in style. The same held true for the next successor, the San Francisco Assaying & Refining Works. Since Price worked for two of these firms for years, it makes sense that he would adapt a similar style logotype for his own use.
Of additional interest is that the logotypes are made in a specific manner. In each case, the logotype is a classic bullion punch – the iron punch has the letters formed backwards, extruding from the body of the punch, such that when punched or hammered into the ingot, all lettering is depressed, or incuse. This is typical of nearly all the S.S. Central America ingots, and all of the Comstock ingots and ingot punches known today. The possible exception is the “seeing eye” of Harris & Marchand and later Harvey Harris.
This 2.17 troy oz silver ingot is a fine example from Price. On this ingot his bullion punch is modeled after the well known Kellogg & Humbert bullion punches seen on the SSCA gold ingots, and in their successor company silver ingots known today, as well as those seen in early authentic period photographs. The ingot is .915 fine silver and .0525 fine gold, typical of the Comstock, but also typical of other silver regions as well. The source of the silver could be determined at a future date from metals fingerprinting once the silver database is enlarged to include the many western silver camps of the 1860’s and 1870’s. This ingot has the usual assay chips taken from opposing corners. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $25,000.
Signed by Thomas Price 12/31/1883. This is the H.B. Bulwer copy (autographed1905). There is a mine in Bodie, CA with this family surname. Title page reads: Tables of the Value of Gold and Silver Per Ounce troy At Different Degrees of Fineness with Other Tables, which will be found useful to Bankers, Assayers, Chemists, Merchants, Dealers in Bullion and Ores. Prepared by Thomas Price. Bullion Rooms, Assay Office, Chemical Laboratory and Ore Floors. 524 Sacramento Street, San Francisco. A.J. Leary, Stationer and Printer, Nos. 402 & 404 Sansome Street. 1881. Brown cloth cover, 60 pages. 7” x 10.” Cover shows wear, water stains, interior pages very fine. No photograph. $2,250.
No. 4437 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by F. Roseman at the San Francisco Office. Deposit is for 115.05 oz and totals $1486.08. Receipt is red ink printed on white paper by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. Rarity R6, approximately 10 to 20 known. Some staining and slight creasing throughout, but otherwise Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. No photograph. $600.
No. 6628 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Mr. Jno. Dupont. Receipt totaling $302.89. Red ink on white paper. Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. This receipt is for 29.40 ounces of gold amalgam, which is probably from a stamp mill amalgamation table. Rarity R6, approximately 10-20 known. Some staining on the left and slight creasing throughout, but otherwise Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $650.
No. 6846 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Mr. Dupont. Receipt totaling $679.95. Printed with red ink on white paper. Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. This receipt is for 63.30 ounces gold amalgam of low fineness, .569 fine gold and .350 fine silver. This gold is probably from a stamp mill amalgamation table. Rarity R6. There is some creasing and slight discoloration, but the piece is otherwise in Very Good condition. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $650.
No. 8823 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by Wells Fargo & Co. Receipt totaling $1490.12. From a gold ingot weighing 76.96 ounces of high fineness, 9395 fine gold. Printed with black ink on white paper by Britton & Rey, San Francisco Heavy creasing in center with slight tearing on both ends of crease, otherwise Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $600.
No. 7094 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Wheeler & Rogers. Receipt for a gold ingot weighing 147.75 ounces .948 fine gold. Printed with black ink on white paper by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. There are chips along the upper left and lower right edges. Otherwise Fine. $250.
No. 2463 Memorandum of Bullion Deposited by Wheeler and Roger's. Receipt totaling $2196.88. Printed with black ink on white paper by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. This receipt is for 112.85 ounces of gold amalgam. The rarity rating for this form is an R6, roughly ten to twenty pieces known. There is some creasing but the piece is in otherwise Extremely Fine condition. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $600.
No. 505 Memorandum of bullion deposited by Thomas Bell & Co. to Thomas Price, Analytical Chemist, Assay and Bullion Melter, at his office at 524 Sacramento Street. The sample is 161 ounces with a value of $1372.67. Printed by Britton & Rey. The handwritten word “Corrected” is written in red ink across the bottom left corner. Fine. No photograph. $650.
No. 788 Deposit of "Unretorted Amalgam, Very Dirty” Made out to San Domingo Mining Company. The gold for this assay sheet came from the San Domingo Mine on San Domingo Creek in Calaveras County. It was a successful placer mine for which stock certificates are known. Extremely Fine. $75.
No. 1326 Deposit of gold bullion made out to San Domingo Mining Company. See above description. Extremely Fine. $75.
No. 1326 Duplicate of above, “Entered Ledger” Extremely Fine. $75.
No.8748 Receipt for a gold bar weighing just under 100 ounces deposited by the Anglo California Bank. The form is printed in red ink on white paper. Rarity 8 (1 to 3 known). No ingots are known from this firm. The reverse has been used for calculations in pencil by the assayer. Extremely Fine. $1,500.
c 1862-1882. Charles F. Riehn and August Hemme opened an assaying business in late 1862 or early 1863. The company had an office in the heart of the San Francisco financial district at 434 Montgomery near the corner of Montgomery and California, directly across the Street from the Wells, Fargo & Co.'s bank and express office. Prominent gold rush assayers Henry Hentsch and Francis Berton also had an office in the same building as Riehn and Hemme, possibly across the hall, but moved out within the next year.
Riehn & Hemme's lab and processing facilities were located at 408 Montgomery and 1 Sumner Street. By the end of the Civil War in 1865, Riehn & Hemme were one of a dozen assaying firms in San Francisco. Riehn & Hemme’s business was located in the center of the mining and business district of San Francisco.
The building directly across the street at 422 Montgomery housed no less than a half dozen mining stock brokers. Orville Ames, and three others, ran a mining stock brokerage next door. Charles Sutro, Adolph's brother, ran a gold dust and bullion brokerage business located immediately across the street from Riehn & Hemme. Kellogg & Hewston, perhaps the best known California Gold Rush assay firm of the period, was located just a few doors down the street at 416 Montgomery.
In the early 1870's, Riehn & Hemme centralized their business to the 404 Montgomery location, where they stayed for another decade, until selling out to F. Reichling about early 1882. The two decades they were in business was a long stretch for any California Assaying firm.
No. 1732 Assay Receipt. Dated 1/3/1866 for gold bullion bar deposited by Wells Fargo and Company. The piece is signed by Palmer, perhaps indicating that the bar went through C.T.H. Palmer’s bank at Folsom. Not trimmed. $3,500.
No. 3081 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by C.J.H.Palmer, totaling $1126.30. Very Fine Condition. $3,500.
No. 3074 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by C.T.H. Palmer. Receipt totaling $2005.55. There is some creasing and slight discoloration at the center, but otherwise it is in Fine condition. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $3,500.
No. 3388 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by C.T.H. Palmer. Receipt totaling $11.43. There is some creasing, but otherwise this piece is in Fine condition. This assay office bullion receipt is Extremely Rare, R7, perhaps one of six known, none of which are signed by Reihne & Hemme. This particular receipt is for a gold bullion bar deposited by Banker, C.T.H. Palmer of Folsom, CA. Palmer handled much of the placer gold produced from the region around Folsom including famous locals such as the Mormon Bar. This assay receipt is for a gold ingot weighing 133.70 oz with a fineness of .903 valued at $2496.16. it is dated 3/29/1867. The receipt itself has been trimmed. It is printed in bright red ink, an unusual attribute, by Sterett and Cubery Printers of San Francisco At present there are only three Reihne, Hemme & Company precious metals ingots known to us. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $3,500.
In 1866 George Rogers took over G.W. Bell's Assay Office. Bell had started with Wells Fargo in San Francisco about 1854 and opened an assay office during 1859 there. In the ensuing years, after Rogers took over, he went through a series of different partners. The business lasted through at least 1871. These receipts are generally all the same style with some minor variations and are a rarity R6, approximately 10 to 20 known.
No. 3266 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by C.S. Maguire. Bullion tax is noted. Very Fine. $750.
No. 4143 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Hobart, Dunbar & Co. Receipt shows “Quartz in the gold”. Printed by Edward Bosqui & Co., San Francisco. Very Fine. $450.
No. 6445 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Millikin Bros. Slight browning on fold creases. Otherwise Very Fine. $450.
The San Francisco Assay Office was the first named city assay office in the US Mint system. The US Assay Office opened under the guidelines of the US Government in San Francisco in 1851, and quickly became famous for the $50 gold octagonal slugs.
The San Francisco Assay Office, as a direct branch of the US Mint system, was opened in 1853, one year before the US Branch Mint at San Francisco opened. It was one of the last assay offices to close, finally shutting down in 1994. During the 140 year existence of the San Francisco Assay Office, many years were marked by the lack of gold ingots produced, primarily in the 1860’s, when no gold bullion ingots were produced at all.
The majority of gold ingots produced at US Assay Offices originated at USAO in New York City because of activity with foreign accounts. To our knowledge, this is the only gold ingot known from the San Francisco Assay Office. In dealing in precious metals ingots for more than thirty years, this ingot is the lone example known to have survived from this western US Assay Office. No gold ingots are known from any of the other US Assay Offices except New York, illustrating the key rarity of these ingots. The primary reason that none exist today is because of the Gold Reserve Act of 1933, as amended, which made it illegal for Americans to own gold until the ban was lifted about 1974. This SFAO ingot must have been made specifically for a foreign account, because it could not have been given to a US Citizen in 1968. The fact that it still exists at all is remarkable in light of the two bold gold market explosions in 1980 and 2007 that resulted in most gold ingots being sold into the bullion market and melted. 9.81 ounces. No photograph. $22,000.
This company is an important company that was the successor to a long line of important assayers operating in the same assay house or business. This firm succeeded Kellogg, Hewston & Co., who in turn succeeded Kellogg, Humbert (of the gold ingots from the S.S. Central America fame), who succeeded Kellogg, Richter, etc.
These receipts have a picture of their building at left, which is the same building seen on some Kellogg & Hewston and Kellogg & Humbert receipts. The forms are printed by Britton & Co., San Francisco. The form is considered scarce with perhaps 15 to 25 known, R6.
These forms come from two primary sources, the Hardy & Kennedy archive of Forest Hill and the Kruse & Euler archive of Shasta, California. A number of the individual merchants other than those two, often are related to the Shasta banking operation of Kruse & Euler. Assays on the company's letterhead also exist but are a much higher rarity, probably R6 and possibly R5.
No.4129 Memo of Bullion Deposited by Muller & Brentano. Weight before melting: 260.03 oz. Weight after melting: 249.05 oz. Fineness: .858 ½. Printed by Britton & Rey, San Francisco. Very Fine. $475.
No.3874 Memorandum of Bullion Deposited by P.L. Barker. Weight before melting: 27.03 oz. Weight after melting: 24.79 oz. Fineness: .835. Very Fine. $475.
No.8860 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Kruse & Euler, and C.C. Bush & Co. Shasta, California. Weight before melting: 34.60 oz. Weight after melting: 33.25 oz. Fineness: .891 ½. Value of gold: $612.76. Shasta was the central gold rush community for the northern gold mines. Located north of Redding in central California, the community was the focal point for gold mines in Trinity, Klammath, Shasta, Syskiyou, and other neighboring counties. At one time it was considered for the state capital and was also under consideration for the transcontinental railroad route. Stains along bottom. Otherwise the condition is Very Fine. $475.
No. 5058 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by a Chinese merchant Tong Yong. Weight before melting: 65.35 oz. Weight after melting: 62.97oz. Fineness: .856. The reverse of this receipt is loaded with Chinese writing including a Chinese rubber stamp in an oval. This is one of the few gold bullion receipts issued to a Chinese merchant or miner, let alone written in Chinese. Fine. $1,500.
No. 8921 Bullion deposit for 36 ounces of gold deposited by Kruse & Euler and signed by L.L. Bush & Co. Weight before melting: 38.55 oz. Weight after melting: 36.97 oz. Fineness: .891. It is printed on a white form with black print with the Britton & Rey lithograph of the 416 Montgomery Street Office on the left side. On the top left corner the names Louis A. Garnett, Manager and John Hewston, Jr., Sup. Assayer are printed. Handwritten notes regarding the sale of a gold bar and some silver are on the reverse. Very Fine. No photograph. $475.
No.9933 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Kruse & Euler, and C.C. Bush & Co. Weight before melting: 32.00 oz. Weight after melting: 33.75 oz. Fineness: .904. Stains along bottom edge otherwise, Very Fine. $475.
No.4859 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Kruse & Euler, and C.C. Bush & Co. Weight before melting: 35.20 oz. Weight after melting: 33.75 oz. Fineness: .904. Very Fine. $475.
No.5336 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Kruse & Euler, and C.C. Bush & Co. Weight before melting: 62.47 oz. Weight after melting: 59.13 oz. Fineness: .890 ½. Very Fine. $475.
No.5475 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Kruse & Euler, and C.C. Bush & Co. Weight before melting: 29.96 oz. Weight after melting: 28.48 oz. Fineness: .893. Very Fine. $475.
No. 9232 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by F. Daneri & Co. Daneri was probably a merchant in Shasta. This receipt is for a gold ingot just under 50 oz totaling $902.66. There is some slight creasing, but otherwise the condition is Very Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $400.
No. 3606 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by John Hussey. Receipt for 131 ounce gold ingot. Bottom of the receipt indicates that John Hussey received his payment in coin. It notes “Nevada”, which may refer to Nevada City, California. Some staining on edges and slight tearing on creases, but otherwise the condition is Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection. $400.
This is a full letter sheet with four separate assays from the Live Yankee Mine, owned by the Mineral Hill Mining Company in Nevada. The assays were high grade silver ore ranging from 110 to 120 ounces per ton silver. Wells Fargo reported shipping $701,000 from this district in 1871, according to Raymond. Chips to right and bottom edges, signed by Hewston. $450.
In 1853 Congress approved the construction of a branch mint in San Francisco to facilitate the production of coinage supplied to the west and to act as a repository for California Gold Rush gold. Much has been written of the mint in its early years.
This is a lot of three original photographs. Two are Tabor photos, dated c 1890. 1) No. B 54 (Tabor’s numbering), labeled “U.S. Mint” and showing the building in its earliest years—trees and bushes surrounding the building are quite small. It is on its original mounting. It is stamped Culver Productions, NYC on the reverse. The size is 5 x 8.” 2) No. 330, same title, shows the Mint building with telegraph poles now in evidence, more buildings seen in the distance, and landscaping has grown. The size is 8 x 10.” Mounted on original backing. 3) Shows the same corner shot as others but amidst rubble from the Great Earthquake of April 1906. The sky has been “white-ed out” in the upper right corner, indicting that this photo was used in a publication. The size is 5 x 7.” All are Very Fine. $1,100.
Duplicate receipt from the San Francisco Herald for an advertisement run by the “U.S.B. Mint” for an “Adv. To Miners, etc.” The receipt is for $6.00, the cost to run the ad. This receipt measures approximately 8.5 x 5.25” and is black ink printed on light blue lined paper. Attached to the receipt is a copy of the advertisement that reads: “MINT NOTICE. TO MINERS, BANKERS AND BULLION DEALERS. In consequence of the withdrawal of the U.S. Bullion Fund, and in order to make quicker returns to depositors, Gold Bullion will be received at the Branch Mint of the United States, San Francisco, California, and manufactured into UNPARTED BARS, from and after the first day of January, AD. 1858. The charge for the manufacturing of such bars will be 1-4 per cent., and returns made within twenty-four hours. CHAS. H. HEMPSTEAD, Superintendent.” Very Fine. From the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection.
This important receipt marked two points in western bullion history. First, the Mint abandoned a discount given to competitor refineries, which eliminated their edge over the Mint. Ultimately, this approach failed. Second, when the bullion fund was eliminated, the ultimate response from the SF mint was the non-manufacture of gold bars. From 1858 to 1859, the Mint drastically reduced the number of fine bars produced. In 1859 their production dropped to $19,871.68, and the following year through 1866, no gold bars were produced at all. In case you missed the previous sentence, no gold bars were produced from the San Francisco Mint from 1860 through 1866. This has important consequences, particularly related to certain gold ingots previously attributed to the San Francisco Mint in 1865. Dan Owens has written a story of the SF Mint production during this period, currently at press. This unique Mint receipt is a relic of that important period. $2,500.
This is a very early stereo view of the Branch Mint of San Francisco. Dead Mint view on yellow card, “American Scenery, California.” This is probably an 1860 view, published during the mid 1860's. Exceptional quality and condition. $550.
Coin silver tray made by Shreve & Co. of San Francisco 4.5” x 6.5”, engraved, “J.N.S. from his fellow clerks of the Treasury Department U.S. Branch Mint San Francisco March 31, 1869”.
Shreve & Co. was the leading house of silver manufacturers in the west in the 1860's and 1870's. This piece bears their name and hallmarks, and is made of coin silver, more customary during the 1860's (90% instead of sterling at 92%). The initials J.N.S. can only be the abbreviations for one man, John N. Southern.
Southern started at the San Francisco Branch Mint in late 1861 or early 1862, according to directory entries, as the Receipt Clerk in the Treasurer's office, and remained in that position until his retirement in 1869. He retired on the day this tray is dated, March 31, 1869 and immediately went to work as a full partner with his friend and mining man, Richard Chenery in the new firm of Chenery, Southern & Co., importers and jobbers of wines and liquors. Their first office was at 311 Clay Street, though they moved shortly afterward to 215 and 217 California Street. The pair apparently did not take over an existing liquor wholesale business, since no such business was located at that address the year prior.
At the time Southern got into the liquor business, it was at the front end of a massive liquor boom in the west. With the discovery of new mines ubiquitous throughout the west, liquor was flowing like rivers into the bars and saloons. Southern and his partner were in for a profitable ride, particularly if they landed one of the cherished name branch distributorships.
By 1876 Southern was left to run the business, while his partner Chenery ran a mining office. The tray has four feet elevating the tray from a tabletop about one half inch. It is oval shaped and bears the engraved inscription in an oval at the center of the tray that is about 1.5” x 2.5”.
This may be the earliest presentation piece extant for a San Francisco Branch Mint employee. There is a slight adhesive mark at center, and minimal hairlines; Otherwise, this piece is in Exceptional condition. $9,500.
Hutchings' California Magazine - Coining Money at San Francisco Mint. This is arguably one of the most famous articles on the San Francisco Branch Mint published in 1856 by Hutchings, a well known publisher of California letter sheets. The article is nine pages with illustrations of many of the Mint's operations. Hutching's Magazine only lasted a few years and individual copies are quite rare. This copy is apparently removed from a bound volume and has a library mark. Otherwise Very Fine. $350.
The standard format of U.S. Mint and Branch Mint bullion receipts is a long document about 6” high and 12” long. On rare occasions, such as with the preceding lot from 1854, the size was significantly smaller. The early pieces printed in the 1850's at any of the branch mints were on blue paper, generally with red ink. The early receipts are notable because of the pre-printed notation under the description of the bullion: “Grains, California” which is in specific reference to placer gold deposited at the mint.
Shortly after 1860, the mint began using off-white paper and continued using red ink for gold bullion deposits and blue ink for silver bullion deposits. The rarity of the San Francisco Branch Mint gold bullion deposits prior to a time roughly correlative with the sinking of the S.S. Central America (September 1857) is R8 (1 to 3 known) for each year.1858-1859 examples have an R7 rarity and that rarity remains through the Civil War years.
After the Civil War, while it might appear that the Mint receipts should be more common, they are not. Commonality does not greatly increase until the 1890's, particularly because of the discovery of the Yellow Aster Mine archive of Randsburg, California. The bullion receipts began to change format about the time of WWI. Receipts after the Gold Reserve Act of 1933 are also Extremely Rare.
United States Mint Bullion Receipts: New format of bullion receipt with black on white was intended to handle either gold or silver bullion.
In the first column to the left of these receipts under “Description of Bullion,” are the pre-printed words “Grains, California.” Printed below the assayers results is a blank line for the dollar amount of the deposit given as ________________“hundred the cents.
No. 8080 Receipt for gold deposited by S.A. McMeans, signed by Cahill for the San Francisco Branch Mint. Dr. S.A. McMeans was born in Dandridge, TN in 1808 and fought in the war with Mexico, before going to California in 1849. He was elected as State Treasurer in 1853 and during his term finances all over the State of California were in deplorable condition. According to Bancroft, “Millions had been wrung out of the people to support extravagant county and municipal governments”. While reform was underway, it began too late to avert catastrophe and a deficit was discovered in the accounts of McMeans, the State Treasurer. McMeans was also involved in the bank failures of 1855 and 1856. He died in Virginia City in 1876. Very Fine. $1,500.
No. 10077 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amalgam) by Fretz and Ralston, Bankers. Very Fine. $1,500.
The following three lots are Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited at the Branch Mint, San Francisco. These receipts also measure 11 x 4 1/5” and have red ink on light blue paper. The printer is not known. The type size and style varies slightly from the preceding group, however a blank line followed by the word “thousand” has been added, further define the value of the deposit which was previously only given as _________hundred, and ________ cents. The condition of the receipts in this group is Very Fine with light foxing and folds.
No. 2148 Receipt of gold bar deposited by Wells Fargo and Co. and C.T.H. Palmer. Very Fine. $1,100.
No. 4787 Receipt of gold bullion deposited by Banks & Davies. Very Fine. $1,500.
No. 7716 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited “2 Amal Cakes California.” by Wells, Fargo & Co’s Express. Weight before melting 37.39 oz, after melting 35.40 oz, Fineness .825 1/4, Net value $604.39. U.S. Mint Service - Form No. 42 A. Measures 9 ½ x 6.” Buff colored paper, red ink. Very Fine. $125.
No. 521 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by Ferguson McArdle for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
No. 7651 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by Ferguson McArdle for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
No. 1838 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by Ferguson McArdle for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
No. 2559 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by Ferguson McArdle for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
No. 7178 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by American Railway Express for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
No. 1480 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited (Amal Cakes - CAL) by Ferguson McArdle for Placer gold. Very Fine. $45.
The following seven lots are Memo. Report on Gold/Silver Bullion deposited at the Mint of the United States at San Francisco. Form 42 A, Treasury Department of the U. S. Mint Service. 9 12/ x 6” and printed on buff colored paper in black ink. Each of these “Memo’s” are for the deposit and assay of bullion “Bars” containing both gold and silver as described in the assays. The receipts are in Very Fine condition with typical “pocket” folds and very light foxing.
No. D. 2625 Report on bullion deposited (Bar #4) by Talapoosa Tailings Treatment Co. from Nevada. All these forms post-date the 1933 Gold Reserve Act. Talapoosa is a small mining district about 20 miles east of the Comstock lode and usually considered part of the Comstock in a global sense. It was a late deposit, generally discovered in the 1920’s and mined through about WWII. It was a late discovery because the site was covered with a volcanic cap and the central part of the ore body was not exposed. Very Fine. $45.
No. D-3637 Report on bullion deposited. See the description for the report D 2625 listed above. Very Fine. $45.
No. D-5290 Report on bullion deposited. See the description for the report D 2625 listed above. Very Fine. $45.
No. D-5900 Report on bullion deposited. See the description for the report D 2625 listed above. Very Fine. $45.
No. D-11678 Report on bullion deposited. See the description for the report D 2625 listed above. Very Fine. $45.
No. D-12162 Report on bullion deposited. See the description for the report D 2625 listed above. Very Fine. $45.
Archive of U.S. Mint San Francisco Bullion Records. This archive occupies six feet of shelving, occupying about twelve cubic feet and consists of forty-four original leather bound ledgers from the San Francisco Mint.
These ledgers were thrown out and/or sold after the Mint closed several decades ago, along with scales, coining press equipment, bullion punches and other items. Most of the material has made its way into the marketplace over the past two to three decades. We were lucky to have acquired most of the bullion punches a number of years ago. Other goods from the Mint that have traded over the past two decades include cancelled dies, die chollars, etc. A few ledgers have also been seen at auction.
The volumes in this group are generally 11 x 16”, but are as large as 13 x 18”. There are 38 “Weigh Clerk’s Book of Deposits of Gold Bullion”, dating from 1889 to 1930, though all but three pre-date 1912.
The run is not complete, as might be expected from a trash haul, but it is a miracle that these even survived. In addition, there are several other ledgers: “U.S. Mint Record of Coin Certificates”, 1920; “U.S. Mint Abstract of Gold Bullion Deposits”, 1893; and four volumes of “U.S. Mint Register of Silver Bullion Deposited for Bars”, 1920 and 1921. The information contained in these volumes is priceless. Examples of depositor entries from 1898 include Selby Smelting, various banks, various mining companies, numerous Chinese companies submitting amalgam, and the famous Yellow-Aster Mine of San Bernardino. Examples of depositors in the silver bullion books include the Calico Mining and Milling Company, the Gold Canyon Dredging Company in Nevada, ASARCO (Selby), Rochester Silver Corp., Tonopah Mining Company, Mexican Milling Co., etc. The silver bars generally range from 1100 to 2000 ounces each. The gold bars were quite variable from less than 10 ounces to 1300 ounces.
The “Gold Bullion Abstract” is of particular interest with depositors such as E.J. (Lucky) Baldwin, the Bank of California, Wells Fargo, Selby Smelting, Levi Strauss, Kruse & Euler, R.H. Marchand, Jr., Sutro and Company, Etc. Other ledgers from the San Francisco Mint’s liquidation period have been sold at auctions over the last couple of decades. The sold ledgers included Gold Bullion Assay Chip books and others.
This archive is probably the most important grouping of U.S. Mint material extant. While the occasional U. S. Mint bullion receipt surfaces from time to time, the accumulation of thousands of pages of records here carefully documents a portion of the gold bullion business at the San Francisco Mint from 1889 to 1912. To our knowledge no gold ingots remain from this period from the San Francisco Mint. The only ones that would have been legal to own after the Gold Reserve Act of 1933 would have been the smallest ingots of about 5 ounces, since these essentially equaled the maximum individual holding amount of $100. No photograph. Price on Request
5.77 oz. 999.75 fine. Carries the United States Mint San Francisco oval bullion punch. This punch was used from the 1940’s through at least 1964. No photograph. $1,000.
5.86 oz. 999.75 fine. Carries the United States Mint San Francisco oval bullion punch. This punch was used from the 1940’s through at least 1964. No photograph. $1,000.
This is an Extremely Rare, printed “California Territory” document. In the beginning of 1849, after the expiration of the town council governance of San Francisco expired, new laws were necessary to incorporate the immense influx of new businesses due to the gold rush. Local politicians immediately passed laws loyal to the U.S. and sent representatives to Washington D.C. to seek Territorial status.
After much complication and the death of one of the key representatives en route, the Californians arrived in Washington and submitted a proposal for Territorial organization to Congress. It was recommended that the Territory be divided into ten districts, and in the minds of Californians, the “Territory” existed from about July of 1849 through the first week or so of September, 1849, when President Taylor agreed with Congress and advocated immediate statehood. Printed documents with the slogan, “Territory of California” are exceptionally rare, and this is perhaps the third held by us in thirty years.
This document regards the sale of a town lot in San Francisco to Charles White for $110 for a piece of property located on the south side of Ellis Street near the corner of Leavenworth. It is printed with a bold masthead on light blue paper with separations along folded edges, otherwise Fine to Very Fine. $4,500.
No. 42167 First of exchange from Sather & Church payable in Boston, MA for $551.88. Printed by Britton, San Francisco. Ink is fading, otherwise Very Fine. $150.
[1] Elisabeth L. Egenhoff, The Elephant As They Saw It, State of California, Divisions of Mines, p51, Letter form Colonel R.B.
Mason to General R. Jones, Adjutant General, U.S.A., Washington, D.C. dated August 17, 1848.
[2] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p51
[3] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p50
[4] Mason’s Letter, The Elephant As They Saw It, p57
[5] Kenneth Bressett, The Official Red Book of United States Coins 2007, p227.
<[6] James Polk, State of the Union Address, December 5, 1848.
[7] “Asher B. Durand’s Career as an Engraver” by Wayne Craven; The American Art Journal, Vol.3 No.1, Spring 1971, page 39.
[8] See Longworth’s New York Directory, 1832-3, and 1834-5 for entries of the firm under both names.
[9] Carson City Silver Age, 10/20/1861
[10] Mark Twain’s Letters, Volume 1, 1853-1866, p208-9, 212.
[11] Carson City Silver Age, October 2, 1862.
[12] The Silver City Assay Office is not listed in the 1863 Nevada Territorial Directory.
[13] Doten Journals, p1453.
[14] Clark, editor; The Journals of Alfred Doten [Doten Journals.jpg">, 1849-1903; 1973. Pp 1241, 1368, 1382, 1391, 1453, 1860.
[15] After the Territorial Census, Irvin is absent from US Census data. He may have died shortly after.
[16] Mining & Scientific Press May 21, 1864. p341. 391
[17] 1862-1874 San Francisco Directories
[18] 1875-1877 San Francisco Directories. Chalfant. The Story of Inyo, 1933.
[19] 1881 San Francisco Directory
[20] Owens. California Coiners and Assayers, 2000
[21] Kagin, p305.
[22] San Francisco Herald, November 19, 1851.
[23] Kagin, p167.
[24] Hittell, Mining in the Pacific States of North America, p208, 1861. Interestingly this important
reference is also titled “Bancroft’s Hand-Book of Mining for the Pacific States”.
[25] San Francisco Herald, January 8, 1852.
[26] [Ref: Hittell, p208.jpg">.