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San Francisco,CA - 1915 - California Native Gold Ingot :

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Bullion Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 2,000.00 USD
San Francisco,CA - 1915 - California Native Gold Ingot :
This small, approximate one ounce (1.075oz) ingot was made as a souvenir for the Pan-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE). It commemorates the '49ers with the dates 1849 and 1915 at the top. The ingot is gold plated, as indicated by the terminology "CALIFORNIA / NATIVE / GOLD / WASHED." The value $30.55 has an unknown meaning. One advanced collector suggested that there might have been an original gold ingot made for the PPIE, and this commemorative piece was made as a copy for tourist sales, though only three are known today. They originally came in a tiny cardboard box, but not with a pamphlet of any kind.

The PPIE is perhaps best known to numismatists for the spectacular commemorative gold coins produced for the event.

Provenance: Holabird-Kagin Fall 2006 Featuring The Bass Collection.