January 25-28, 2004, The Pre-Long Beach Coin & Currency Auction
Sale 23

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California Gold Ingot Bars

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3502    Huge Alaskian Gold Nugget - 143.2 gr (4.6 troy oz). An impressive, natural gold nugget, found in the Yukon Territories. Size: 46.6 x 38 x 25 mm. This amazing display piece would fit nicely into any collection of Territorial gold.
Estimated Value $1,500-1,750.
 

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3503    Gold Nuggets from the American River. A group of over 20 specimen gold nuggest as found in the American River. Total weight 32.5 gr (1.05 troy oz). In a specimen case.
Estimated Value $350-450.
 

Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bar No. 601 152.96 oz. 886 Fine gold. Value at time of issue: $2801.49

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3504    Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bar No. 601
123.15 oz. 909 Fine gold. Value at time of issue: $2314.07. This monumental gold bar is from the 1857 shipwreck of the S.S. Central America. Its fineness of .909 pure gold is higher than usual for native California gold. The lower right corner has been chipped off for assay purposes, as has the upper right corner on the back of the bar (as on all genuine bars). The control number of the bar, No. 601, is stamped on the back of the bar. This bar retains its original rose-russet patina.

Between 1852 and 1857, the S.S. Central America was responsible for transporting approximately one third of the gold found during the California Gold Rush, amounting to an estimated $150 million. This bar was part of the ship's three-ton gold cargo that left Panama, en route for New York, on September 3, 1857, and was lost on September 11, 1857, when the ship sank during a hurricane off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

With the loss of the gold cargo, New York banks began to fail and businesses closed, causing a financial crisis, not only in the United States, but also in Europe. It was called "The Panic of 1857.

Kellogg & Humbert were government-supervised assayers in San Francisco, but until the recovery of the wreck of the S.S. Central America in the 1980s, no bars by these important California Gold Rush participants were known.

The value of this bar at the time of its issue would have purchased many city blocks in downtown Los Angeles. It will be the centerpiece and the conversation piece of your gold collection.

Accompanied by the special leather edition of Q. David Bowers' A California Gold Rush History where this bar is photographed and listed.
Estimated Value $100,000-110,000.
 

Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bar No. 458 110.77 oz. .903 Fine gold. Value at time of issue: $2,067.71

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3505    Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bar No. 458
111.63 oz.899 Fine gold. Value at time of issue: $2,074.53. A very desirable example from the S.S. Central America shipwreck. Of note is the fineness of this bar which, at .899 pure gold, is very high for native California gold; it was usually found below this fineness. The lower right corner has been chipped off for assay purposes, as has the upper right corner on the back of the bar (as on all genuine bars). Also, we note that the control number of the bar, 458, is stamped on the back of the bar. This fabulous bar glistens with the natural greenish-golden luster that is representative of California gold

As noted in the Bowers' publication, A California Gold Rush History, the Kellogg & Humbert bars are among the most numerous of the bars recovered from the wreck; however, because Kellogg & Humbert were such important participants in the California Gold Rush history, many coins being known from their partnership, it is these bars that best represent the California Gold Rush era. These bars were unknown until the wreck was recovered in the 1980s and made available to collectors in the year 2000.

The bar is accompanied by the special leather edition of Q. David Bowers' A California Gold Rush History, where this bar is shown and listed. The new owner will undoubtedly spend many hours discussing the epic tales of the discovery of gold in California and the tragedy of the loss of life on the Central America wreck.

Truly a fantastic, historical relic which will be the centerpiece of your gold coin collection.
Estimated Value $90,000-100,000.
 

California Gold Coins

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3506    1856 Octagonal Quarter Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-111, Rarity-3. PCGS graded MS-65. Gorgeous, silky-smooth, pale greenish gold surfaces. One of the top ten examples grade by PCGS exceeded only by 3 MS-66's. Finer than Jay Roe's by a full two points!
Estimated Value $900-1,000.
 

Arms of California

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3507    1853 Round Half Dollar. Arms of California. BG-435, Rarity-5. PCGS graded MS-63. One of the most famous and desirable of the California Gold types, this is the only appearance of either the obverse or the reverse dies. The obverse features the Arms of California (minus "Eureka"); the reverse features a Humbert style reverse seen on some of the $20 gold coins and $50 "Slugs" of the early 1850's issued by the United States Assay Office of Gold. The example offered here is golden yellow, with some steel blue iridescence around much of the obverse. The high points lack some details, but the luster is unbroken and there are no changes in the color on the highest points (sure indicators of wear). This piece compares favorably to the slightly-better-struck Jay Roe example, which coincidentally happened to be of the same exact grade. The PCGS Population holds steady with 16 in MS-63, 6 in MS-64, 3 in MS-65, and 1 in MS-66. Color photo.
Estimated Value $18,000-20,000.
 

1853 Peacock.

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3508    1853 Octagonal Half Dollar. "Peacock" Reverse. BG-302, Rarity-4. PCGS graded MS-62. Soft satiny surfaces, with a muted yellow-gold luster. This is one of the most popular design types in the entire series of California Fractional Gold pieces. The reverse features an eagle perched on an arrow, with rays of the sun shining behind, creating the image of a peacock with its tail spread out in a fan. This example is struck from perhaps the latest state of the dies, with a rim cud at 3:00 and tiny raised "pimples" in the field from die rust. This variety always commands a high premium and the opportunity to bid on a nice "Peacock" reverse is a welcome treat. PCGS reports 18 at this level, with 37 finer. Jay Roe's was only a point higher.
Estimated Value $4,500-5,000.
 

"Humbert Reverse" Liberty Head BG-501

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3509    Undated (1853-1854) Octagonal Dollar. Liberty Head / "Humbert" Reverse. BG-501, Low Rarity-5. PCGS graded AU-58. A neat-looking, miniature version of the $50 "Slug" reverse. Lovely, green-gold surfaces, with hints of coppery toning on both sides. The Rarity Rating for this variety is a trifle deceptive, as it suggests a decent-sized population of survivors. That may be the case, but virtually every example is locked up in a collection somewhere, thus finding an example of this variety is always much tougher than it should be. This example is a full three points finer than the colorful AU-55 from the Jay Roe collection!
Estimated Value $7,000-8,000.
 

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3510    1853 Octagonal Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-530, Rarity-2. PCGS graded AU-58. Attractively toned in golden brown, with hints of blue iridescence on both sides. Common as a variety, but still hard to find nice. Jay Roe's was only MS-61.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,100.
 

Rarity 7 BG-605 Gold Dollar Lookalike

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3511    1854 Round Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-605, Rarity-7. PCGS graded AU-50. Semi-Prooflike, with plenty of pale golden luster still remaining on either side. At arm's length, this piece looks just like a Federally issued Gold Dollar, which was one of the reasons the makers of California gold pieces ran afoul of the law. The reverse is rotated approximately 25 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction. Finding this rarity in any grade is a real chore -- even Jay Roe's coin (the nicest he could find in decades of collecting) was only AU-55! Housed in an older-generation, green-label. This is the third finest of the BG-605's certified by PCGS (the finest is only AU-58).
Estimated Value $14,000-16,000.
 

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3512    1855/4 Octagonal Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-511, Rarity-4. PCGS graded AU-50. Lightly circulated, still with traces of luster and a pleasant green-gold color. Small planchet void (as made) on the upper obverse near 12:30. PCGS reports 3 in this grade, but over two dozen are known in Mint State.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,100.
The New Millenium Collection.
 

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3513    1860 Octagonal Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-1102, Rarity-4. PCGS graded MS-60. Housed in an older-generation, green-label PCGS holder. Splashes of russet toning appear on the reverse. Later state of the obverse, with a small crack extending from the rim between two stars towards Liberty's throat. For comparison purposes, Jay Roe's was only MS-62.
Estimated Value $1,900-2,100.
 

California Fractional Gold

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3514    (1853) Undated. Round Liberty Quarter Dollar. BG-205. Rarity 6. PCGS graded MS-62. Boldly struck in honey color gold. A very attractive example and far better than the Jay Roe example which graded AU-58. Pop of 6 with only 1 better in MS-64.
Estimated Value $2,000-2,400.
 

1864 Octagonal Half Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-917a, Off-Metal Strike in Silver, Rarity-10 (Unique).

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3515    1864 Octagonal Half Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-917a, Off-Metal Strike in Silver, Rarity-10 (Unique). PCGS graded AU-58. One of the greatest rarities from the California Pioneer Fractional Gold series -- the one and only silver, off-metal striking of the BG-917 die combination. Accordingly, this is the plate coin for the new Breen-Gillio reference, where it is listed as "Only survivor: Joel Kaplan, ex Kagin's 2001, PCGS AU-58" along with the tantalizing notation "Trial piece?" Was this a trial piece or was it a moment of playfulness on the part of the minter, Robert Gray? It matters not, as there is no other.the value of this piece is in its extreme rarity. As far as Die States go, this is State I, with the bridge of the nose still intact. Missing from the fabulous Jay Roe collection, where it would undoubtedly would have been one of the stars of the sale. If you're serious about this series and have "post-Jay Roe sale depression", here's a coin that will get your juices flowing again!
Estimated Value $7,000-8,000.
 

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3516    1853 Octoganal Gold Dollar BG-505 Rarity 4. PCGS graded MS-60. In a custom plastic holder with an INS certificate.
Estimated Value $450-550.
 

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3517    1853 Octagonal Liberty Dollar. BG-525. Rarity 6+. PCGS graded AU-55. A few scattered marks, none of which are too serious. Light golden-orange with some coppery tones. Pop of 1 with 3 in AU-58, 1 in MS-61 and 2 in MS-62. An important coin for the California fractional gold specialist.
Estimated Value $2,000-2,400.
 

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3518    1853 Round Liberty Half Dollar. BG-408. Rarity 6. PCGS graded AU-55. Some light friction but plenty of mint luster remains. An eye appealing example with the natural golden-orange toning. Pop of 4 with 4 in AU-58, 1 in MS-60, 1 in MS-61 and 4 in MS-62. The Jay Roe example graded AU-58.
Estimated Value $1,400-1,500.
 

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3519    1853 Octagonal Liberty Dollar. BG-522. Rarity 6+. AU-50. A nice bold impression with semi reflective surfaces. A tiny rim nick on the reverse. The Jay Roe example was only Net EF-40 harshly cleaned. This example is among the best.
Estimated Value $700-800.
 

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3520    1854 Octagonal Liberty Quarter Dollar. BG-105. Rarity 3. PCGS graded MS-65. Well struck with semi proof-like surfaces. Attractive rose overtones adds to this Gold Rush era coin's appeal. In an older green PCGS holder. The Jay Roe example graded MS-64. Pop of 17 with 3 better by a point.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,200.
 

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3521    1854 Octagonal Liberty Dollar. BG-508. Rarity 4. PCGS graded MS-62. Eye appealing proof-like surfaces with some reverse die flaws as made. In an old green PCGS holder. Pop of 14 with 8 better by a point.
Estimated Value $1,500-1,800.
 

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3522    1854 Octagonal Dollar. Liberty Head. BG-532, Low Rarity-4. PCGS graded AU-58. Delicate, green-gold surfaces. Lightly worn from a short stint in circulation. PCGS reports 30 in this grade, with 21 finer (the best is MS-64).
Estimated Value $800-900.
 

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3523    1854 Octagonal Liberty Dollar. BG-528. Rarity 6. PCGS graded AU-53. Minor surface friction, otherwise problem-free. Light greenish-golden surfaces. Pop of 3 with 3 in AU-55, 6 in AU-58, 1 in MS-60 and 1 in MS-62. In an old green holder.
Estimated Value $1,300-1,400.
 

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3524    1875 Octagonal Dollar. Indian Head. BG-1126, Rarity-5. PCGS graded AU-58. Nice golden toning with Prooflike surfaces. PCGS Pop 5, with 29 finer (the best is MS-64). Jay Roe's was only an MS-61.
Estimated Value $2,500-3,000.
 

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3525    1876/5 Octagonal Dollar. Indian Head. BG-1128, Rarity-5. PCGS graded MS-62. Nice Prooflike surfaces and a delicate, green-gold color. This variety was created by taking the BG-1127 obverse and crudely turning the 5 into a 6, thus making the die relevant for another year. PCGS reports 6 examples at this grade level, with only 15 finer. Jay Roe's was only two points higher.
Estimated Value $2,000-2,500.