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Rare Anchorage Nugget Token - AK

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Exonumia - Tokens Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 7,500.00 USD
Rare Anchorage Nugget Token -  AK
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

c1890 Rare and wonderful promotional token or medallion from Anchotage AK with a small gold nugget in center. The seller (not token manufacturer) was Walter A. Lord, whose initials can be seen below the nugget on the obverse (the WA are combined). Benice notes these originally came in a box with a pamphlet or information sheet stating the gold was from local streams and the piece "was associated with the construction of the Government railroad." This very important information leads to some new information. Walter A. Lord was born in Massachuttes in 1869. He moved west and ran a jewelry business in Sacramento (1910 census), where he clearly became interested in gold nugget jewelry. By 1912, he had relocated to Fairbanks, in partnership with Robert Simpson. In 1914, The US Goverment voted to provide funds to build/complete a railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. A year into the construction, Anchorage was "created as a railroad construction town" along Ship Creek. Along the way, Lord saw a good opportunity and started a jewelry store in the new town of Anchorage. By 1917 the railroad construction crews peaked at 4500 workers. The railroad was completed in 1923, and President Warren Harding drove the final (gold) spike. Unfortunately, he died on the way back to Washington from severe food poisoning. Lord evidently made this medallion in celebration of the completion of the railroad. There are thought to be less than ten known today. This specimen is x-John J. Ford Collection, lot 22813, Ford XXIII. - HKA#65733