SOLD
5,000.00USD+ (975.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2014 Feb 22 @ 20:45UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Preview
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite#309
Reno, NV 89511
Thursday Feb 20th, 10am-6pm
* Preview also available by appointment
Live Auction
Friday & Saturday
Feb 20 & 21, 2014
9am PDT starting time, both days
Location
Atlantis Casino & Resort
Paradise A Room
3800 S. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89502
Lot Pick Up
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite #309
Reno, NV 89511
Sunday February 23rd, 10am-1pm
The certificate is among the most important of all non-coin ephemera from the California gold rush coiners, because this company had the goal of producing coin for circulation in California, having discussed the matter with Mint Director Patterson. They were sending a trained professional (Hayden) to California to lead the effort. They were probably unaware of John Little Moffat’s efforts, as many of the coining companies began their efforts in late 1848 and early 1849. Over the years, several important original documents have surfaced for this company, adding to the information already published by Kagin in Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States. This document is one of them. With these documents, we now know who the stockholders were when the first organizational meeting was formed, and how much money was in the till. This very rare issued and uncancelled stock certificate is from the Clifford Collection. It may be the only known issued certificate from the company, with approximately 4 unissued certs also known, thus all very rare. While there have been numerous articles written on this company, there is no definitive work. Thus I set out to write one for the catalog, but alas, the research did not lead me to the usual results, and instead, brought up much conflicting information with too many loose ends to make a formal summary. Here’s what we know: 1. The backers of the company were led by industrialist Josiah Hayden. He and his brother (Joel) built a manufacturing empire at Haydenville, Mass. over several decades. As Lt. Governor, Joel was politically well connected. 2. Other important industrialists and businessmen were involved with the company, possibly even Henry Wells (Wells, Fargo & Co.) of Williamsburg, Mass. (Haydenville is part of Williamsburg) 3. The Hayden brothers were the largest manufacturer of gold pens in America in the late 1840’s, and sold out in 1849. Their knowledge and experience of manufacturing related to gold was perhaps second only to the US Mint. 4. Hayden sent his son William Hallock Hayden to private school (Williston Seminary), then to Yale’s Sheffield Scientific School, led by Benjamin Silliman, where he got a degree in metallurgy (1848-9). He returned for more education in 1864-5. Hayden reported in later years that he was an “assayer for the California Sate Mint”. 5. The original list of shareholders had five board members and 27 shareholders. This was immediately supplemented by five new members, Jan 15 1849. Each of the 37 total members put up at least $25 each ($25 per share) and promised to keep an additional $75 per share available (total, $100 per share). A total of 60 shares were possible for a full subscription, and the existence of this certificate indicates that the 37 shareholders did not own all 60 shares, such that additional shares were issued after January 15th. Here, S. Wright & Son had 2 shares issued in April. 6. The 37 shareholders represented paid-in capital of at least $925 with $2775 held by the parties “in reserve”. The published statement in later years of $6000 raised is inaccurate, because it was “on call”, not “in hand”. 7. One of the shareholders may have been one of the largest silver manufacturers in the US. (see #15). 8. The original, published business of the company was to engage in mining in California. 9. The “business” changed after the initial offering to coining, probably the result of Wm H. Hayden’s education and contacts. 10. Edgar Adams reported an unnamed article that said the company had increased the stock to $50,000, also discussing the coining equipment. 11. William H. Hayden was to accompany the coining equipment to California. The origin of the equipment is unknown. 12. Trial coins were struck on the coin press, and coins given to some or all of the Directors or shareholders prior to leaving for California. At least one coin was sent to Mint Director Patterson. 13. Two groups were to head to California: one via the Isthmus of Panama (led by agent F.P. Tracy), and the other to accompany the coining equipment around the horn of South America led by Wm. H. Hayden). 14. There are differing published reports of who went on what ship to California and when. Only one newspaper published a list of passengers for a specific ship, and that was for the bark Alice Tarlton, a small ship that left New York with 34 passengers (4 from the Mass & Cal Co., led by Hayden. There are conflicting published reports of the departure date from NYC, May 21 and May 28, 1849). It landed in San Francisco January 12, 1850, but without a published list of off-loading passengers or news of the parties onboard. It had made the journey from Valparaiso in a quick 48 days. 15. There are conflicts in research, because of people with the same names, including middle initials, apparent ages, and locations. This includes F.P. Tracy, William Rogers, S. Wright (Miners Bank?) and others. 16. Archives containing original letters from members of the Mass & Cal Co. have been located, and are in the process of information gathering. 17. No solid information has yet been found to show the coin press, or all the people from the Mass & Cal Co. made it to California 18. Hayden left soon after arrival. He was married in New York within a year, after moving to Ohio, and served with the Ohio Volunteers in the Civil War. 19. The remnants of the Mass & Cal Company in California is unclear, and subject to ongoing research. - HKA#66210
Auction Location:
3800 S Virginia St, Reno, Nevada, 89502, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview is available at our Reno office located at 3555 Airway Drive Suite #309 by appointment only, any
time prior to 2/21/2014. Call 775-852-8822 to schedule a preview. Space is limited. Preview is open to
the public on 2/20/2014 from 10:00am to 6:00pm at the Holabird-Kagin Americana Office.
3555 Airway Dr. Suite 309
Reno, NV 89511
775-852-8822
Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to Nevada or California or are picked
up at our Reno, Nevada location, unless a current, valid re-sale certificate is provided at the time of
purchase.
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NST |
7.725% |
Nevada Sales Tax: |
| CST |
9% |
California Sales Tax: |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
19.5% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
Shipping will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping fees may be invoiced separately. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. A $5 handling fee will be included in the shipping charge. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. We do not ship any purchases until the auction invoice is paid in full. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express or USPS will be insured for the full value determined at auction by Holabird-Kagin Americana at no extra cost to the buyer. Federal Express shipments will be sent the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday following receipt of payment. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction. NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice.
Payment Details:
We accept Money Orders, Cashiers Checks and Personal Checks. A 3% cash discount is automatically applied to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card Visa or MasterCard)or through PayPal. All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Cash received in amounts greater than $10,000 is subject to the filing of IRS form 8300, as required by law.
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
February 2014 Auction
Absentee Bidding will end
Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 5pm PDT,
Internet bids accepted any time
Terms and Conditions
1. This is a Live Auction conducted by Kagin’s Inc. through its subsidiary Holabird-Kagin Americana (HKA).
2. Live (Floor) Bidding: Please arrive a few minutes early to check in and receive your bidding paddle. We will open lots with more than one bid at the current high absentee bid or 50% of the low estimate at the auctioneer’s discretion. Please be sure to bid on the correct lots during the live auction. Our auction progress is at a rate of between 100 and 200 lots per hour. When the auctioneer says “sold”, he will identify the successful bidder by number and announce the winning bid amount. If you are not sure whether you won the lot or not, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification immediately. Tie bids are awarded to the first absentee bid placed if not advanced on the floor, or by a phone bidder, whoever is first. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
3. Telephone Bidding: Telephone bidding requests MUST be scheduled prior to this auction. If you do not schedule in advance, and choose instead to call on the day of the auction to request a line for bidding, you may find that we are unable to accommodate your request. Please limit your telephone bids to items of value greater than $500, or to a string of items with a similar total.
4. Agent Bidding: There are numerous professional agents available to assist you should you require this service. Please contact the office for a list or to arrange for representation on the floor during the live auction. HKA is not responsible for any acts or omissions by agents acting on behalf of bidders at our auctions.
5a. Live Auction Absentee Bidding: Absentee bids for the live auction must be received by Thursday, Feb 20, 2014 at 5pm PDT. It is your responsibility to submit all lot numbers and bid amounts accurately. Absentee bids should be equal to at least 50% of the low estimate if an estimate is provided. Bids on “No Lots” or “Withdrawn” Lots are considered no-bids. Bids made in amounts that do not conform to the bid increment table in item 8 below will be automatically rounded up or down by the computer, or rounded to the nearest proper bid increment at the discretion of the auctioneer. Absentee bids are entered into a computer which will bid live on your behalf at the auction. Absentee bids will compete live against other absentee bids, live internet bidders, floor bidders and phone bidders.
5b. NEW BIDDERS: Bidders unknown to us must provide commercial references or a deposit of 25% of the amount to be bid in order for the auction staff to execute bids. Deposits will be credited towards lots won and any balance will be refunded within 10 business days after the auction has concluded. New online users will be given a spending limit at their initial request. In order to increase this limit, you may be required to provide a letter of authorization from your bank in addition to providing references. Please contact our office at any time if you have questions regarding spending limits or references required to bid.
6. Internet Bidding: Absentee and Live internet bidding are both available through our live auction network. If you wish to bid LIVE via the internet, you MUST pre-register. A live video and sound feed will be accessible during the auction for those bidding via the internet. Online bidding remains open through the live auction and online absentee bids may be placed anytime. Live bidding will open when the auction starts. Internet bidding is offered as a convenience for those who cannot attend the live sale. Please note that there may be delays or interruptions in internet connectivity that are beyond our control. Attending the live auction or arranging for an agent is the most reliable way to secure your bids.
WARNING: Auction participation through the live internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is still under review and development, and the operation of it and the corresponding internet connectivity issues are far beyond our control. Some folks have attempted to use the live internet bidding process as their primary method of bidding, and have been quite successful. Others have failed completely. Depending upon your computer, server, host, and other factors, internet signals may be delayed, such that bids may not be received in time. We cannot be held responsible for these delays, or for the lack of placed bids in a timely manner, or any other factors leading to unaccepted bids that are far beyond our control. Bidders should always have a backup plan for lots they highly desire. Live participation is best, followed by phone participation. We will not reopen lots for missed bids.
7. Reserves: Most of the lots in this auction are unreserved. Gold is generally reserved at or near spot, though it could be slightly below spot.
8. Bidding Increments: All bids must be submitted in U.S. dollars and in whole dollar amounts only in the appropriate increments as outlined below. If you choose to submit bids in an increment not listed below, your bid will be rounded to the nearest increment and you will be expected to pay the amount to which the bid was rounded should your bid be the winning bid. If you have any questions about an appropriate bid amount, please call us.
From: To: Increment:
$0 $29 $1
$30 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $max $500
9. Bid Reduction: All winning absentee bids will be reduced, if necessary, to the next bidding increment up from the last competing bid, as long as the minimum bid requirement has been met. For example, if you submit an absentee bid of $1000 and the next highest competing bid is $250, then you will win the lot for $275.
10. Bid Information: Collectors often ask in advance the price level of a particular lot. We will give out the current high absentee bid until we close the day before the live auction. You may also view absentee bids online at www.holabirdamericana.com. While we try to update the absentee bids as often as necessary, bids received close to the bidding deadline might not be reflected online, and we disclaim any responsibility for any bids made in reliance upon inaccuracies on our website.
11. Bid Cancellation: If you wish to cancel or change a bid after you have submitted your bids to us due to an error, you MUST PHONE us to advise us of this. Bid cancellations through mail, email, or fax are not advisable. Errors are easy to make and we are happy to assist all callers.
12. All stock certificates, checks, warrants, and other financial documents sold herein are sold as antiquities, and have no financial, securities, or public trading value whatsoever.
13. We reserve the right to reject any bid we feel is not made in good faith.
14. The placing of a bid shall constitute the bidder’s acceptance of these terms of sale.
15. Buyer’s Premium: There will be a 19.5% Buyer’s Premium added to each lot. US coins, nuggets, and bullion are calculated at a 17.5% buyer’s premium. These premiums include a 3% discount for transactions paid with cash, checks, money orders or wire transfers. All other forms of payment are not subject to the 3% discount and the Buyer’s Premium will be calculated at 22.5% (20.5% on US coins, gold, & currency.)
16. Sales Tax: Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to Nevada (7.725%) or California (9.0%) unless a current, valid resale certificate is faxed to us at 775-852-8866 before bids are placed.
17. Invoicing: Shipping charges will be added to all invoices. Invoices are mailed or emailed within two business days after the close of all portions of the sale. Within 15 calendar days of receipt of invoice, payment is due in full to Holabird-Kagin Americana, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to California or Nevada addresses, according to state law, unless a resale certificate is provided.
18. Payment: We accept Visa, Master Card, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Personal Check, PayPal: HKAEbayRep@yahoo.com. A 3% discount is applied to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal. All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Cash received in amounts greater than $10,000 is subject to the filing of IRS form 8300, as required by law.
19. Shipping: Shipping will be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. Additional shipping fees may be invoiced separately. The buyer is responsible for arranging and paying for shipment of large or special items. A $5 handling fee will be included in the shipping charge. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. We do not ship any purchases until the auction invoice is paid in full. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers: Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express or USPS will be insured for the full value determined at auction by HKA at no extra cost to the buyer. Federal Express shipments will be sent the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday following receipt of payment. Pick up is available from our Reno office the next business day after the auction. NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice.
20. Non-Payment: HKA reserves the right to cancel any invoice not paid in full within 15 days. A cancelled invoice does not relieve the bidder from their obligation to pay seller fees and buyer’s premiums compensating HKA for its services in conducting the auction. Interest shall run on all outstanding balances at the highest rate permitted by law. HKA shall have a lien against the merchandise purchased by the bidder, and any other of bidder’s property then held by HKA or its affiliates, to secure payment of the invoice, and with respect thereto HKA shall have all the rights of a secured creditor under the California Commercial Code, including but not limited to the right of sale. HKA may sell the lot(s) securing the invoice to any underbidders in the auction that the lot(s) appeared, or at subsequent private or public sale, or relist the lot(s) in a future auction conducted by HKA. A defaulting bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable costs of resale (including a 10% seller’s commission, if consigned to an auction conducted by HKA). The defaulting bidder is liable to pay any difference between his or her total original invoice for the lot(s), plus any applicable interest, and the net proceeds for the lot(s) if sold at private sale or the subsequent hammer price of the lot(s) less the 10% seller’s commissions, if sold at an HKA auction. If HKA refers any invoice to an attorney for collection, the bidder agrees to pay attorney’s fees, court costs, and other collection costs incurred by HKA. Any bidder who fails to follow the terms of payment will be reported to icollector and may be barred from participating in future Holabird-Kagin Americana auctions.
21. Condition: We strongly recommend that you attend the live preview to see lots in their entirety. Conditions are not always noted, and large lots may not be itemized due to catalog restraints. For questions, detailed information, or additional images of any lot please contact our office at 775-852-8822. Bidders are responsible for understanding the condition of items. Conditions noted are subjective, and may differ in the opinion of different people or collectors.
22. Return Policy: All items are guaranteed to be authentic unless otherwise noted. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. You may return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within 30 days of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. We have attempted to describe the items and their condition accurately. If no condition is given, assume average. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. NGC certified tokens that are returned must be original, unaltered NGC holders. Any tokens removed from the original NGC/NCS certification holders or items returned in an altered condition are deemed not returnable under any circumstances. When we receive your bids we will assume you have read the description in the catalog, viewed the image of the item, have contacted us regarding any questions you may have on any lot and/or have previewed the lot in person. Therefore, returns are only accepted if prior approval is given by Holabird-Kagin Americana.
23. This sale is being held under the laws of the state of California, without reference to choice of law rules.
24. Neither Kagin’s, Inc. nor HKA shall be held responsible for any problem due to the bidders failure to follow the rules, terms and conditions of this sale, or any failure to bid due to the loss of the online auction process provided by any of the online auction networks; or missed bids, changed bids or cancelled due the bidders failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.
25. By placing a bid or otherwise participating in the auction, Bidder accepts these Terms and Conditions, and specifically agrees to the dispute resolution provided herein.
26. Neither Kagin’s, Inc. nor HKA shall be responsible for consequential damages, incidental damages, compensatory damages, or any other damages arising or claimed to be arising from the auction of
any lot. Bidder’s sole remedy for any proven act or omission shall be rescission of sale and refund of the amount paid by Bidder.
27. Any claim, dispute, or controversy in connection with, relating to and/or arising out of the Auction, participation in the Auction, award of lots, damages of claims to lots, descriptions, condition reports, provenance, estimates, return and warranty rights, any interpretation of these Terms and Conditions, any alleged verbal modification of these Terms and Conditions and/or any purported settlement shall be exclusively heard by, and the parties consent to exclusive
in personam jurisdiction of, the Superior Court of Marin County, California. THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. Any claim must be brought within one (1) year of the auction from which the claim arose or the claim is waived. In every case, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorney’s fees and costs.