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Florence,AZ - Pinal County - June 20, 1866 - Specie Basis Mining Company Bond :

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 600.00 USD
Florence,AZ - Pinal County - June 20, 1866 - Specie Basis Mining Company Bond :
Incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1866. A first mortgage bond, No. 379, in the amount of $100. Signed by R.B. Gitts, president, Wm. R. Allen, secretary, and John E. Potter, Trustee. Vignett of a large mill beside a lake with mountains in the background. Small eagle vignette at bottom. Black border, blue under print ($100 Dollars), with 2 coupons attached. "Gold, Silver and Copper Mines in Arizona" is printed at bottom margin. Printer: Jas. McGuigan Lith., Phila. Fred Holabird says the name on this certificate is among the best in western American mines. Specie basis refers to an antiquated monetary payment methodology revolving around gold and silver, which were called specie. The term specie basis refers to payment “in kind” or payment in gold or silver. Unable to find specific reference to the company in J. Ross Brown’s 50pp section on Arizona mines published in 1868. There is a strong possibility, however, that this company is directly related to the Specie Pay mine. In 1882, Burchard reported the Specie Pay mine was driving a new ore tunnel in 1881 averaging $42 per ton. It had apparently been reactivated after some time of dormancy. Hamilton, in 1884 cited this mine as the key mine in the district along with the Alice mine. The ore was reported to run $30 per ton, and a mill was erected on the Alice about 1882, producing pay ore on a regular basis. Burchard had noted that the district was in desperate need of a custom mill, and the Alice mill must have been a welcome addition after years of prospecting with no local reduction works. The district is about 15 miles northeast of Florence in central Arizona. The chances of the Specie Basis Mining Co and a Specie Pay mine being related are extremely high. These are uncommon terms not used haphazardly. This Gitts may be related to the Gitts of the Casa Grande scam.