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Goldfield,NV - Esmeralda County - 1898-1905 - Gold Ring :

Currency:USD Category:Jewelry Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Goldfield,NV - Esmeralda County - 1898-1905 - Gold Ring :
A 14k gold men's ring with Goldfield written in raised letters and a crossed pick and shovel depicted below. Inside the ring is stamped "S.J. 14k." We were unable to determine whether this is a miners' union insignia or from a fraternal order, or exactly what the ring represents. This is of the same vintage as another gold ring from Tonopah in this sale, both very rare pieces that have two matching mates from Nome and Dawson. All four are similar, and all four are very rare. The group appears to date from about 1898-1905, and may, in fact, be made by the same person. Fred Holabird suspects the four were made by Frank Golden of Nevada. According to Davis' History of Nevada, 1912, Golden was a Virginia City jeweler (born in Ireland in 1862) who became interested in mining and "made a fortune." He had stores in Carson City, Reno and Virginia City, and had a branch in Goldfield during the boom, according to the Polk 1907 Directory. In 1901 there was a merchant in Dawson City, an "F Golden," which may have been him or one of his staff. The 1901 Alaska/Yukon Directory does not state the nature of the business, nor do any of the biographies state how and where he made the fortune in mining. Extremely rare.