THE GOLDEN WEST AUCTIONS

Auction Details

The Golden West Sale encompasses three sessions of auctions covering some of the most important historical western material from the Gold Rush periods of California, Nevada and Colorado. The material has been assembled from many of the great western collections, as well as original material handed down within Gold Rush families, held intact for over 100 years.
Session A of the Golden West Sale encompasses the annual WESTS (Western States Token Society) token auction. This year the highlight is clearly and unarguably the finest Western Indian Trader, Fort & Territorial collection ever assembled at public auction. The more than 500 lot sale contains dozens of R9 and R10 tokens, many of which have not seen the light of day in at least four decades. Some ephemera also is included from Indian Trader sites. Indian Trader tokens are an important form of money exchanged between Indians and Anglos in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Trading Posts were a way of life in the isolated outposts of the western plains and mountains, swapping furs, rugs, coats and other items for food stuffs and equipment. There has never been a sale of this magnitude and importance. The end of this sale will include a comprehensive collection of Naval tokens never before offered and with NO ESTIMATES or MINIMUM BID REQUIREMENTS, as this offering will set the pricing precedent for naval tokens.
Session B encompasses many of the popular collecting categories. It includes a strong photograph collection of American saloon interiors, saloon ephemera and Gold Rush region saloon tokens, also known as Pioneer Minor Coinage. Part of the saloon section includes a large collection of the ultra-rare Good-for mirrors, one of the rarest forms of money, many with pictorial representations of the fabulous “gay-90’s” saloon girls, as well as advertising mirrors. This is the largest mirror offering since the Rosa sale of 1988. Most of the mirrors are so rare that only one to three specimens of each are known. The session will be rounded out by a collection of So-called dollars and Hibler Kappen related material, $50 slug facsimiles, Chopmarked coins, Golden Gate International Exposition Medals and more. Much of this section is from the well-known Bill Weber Collection.
Session C The highlight of the sale is certainly the newly discovered Washington Nugget, a nearly 100 ounce nugget (and several others) found in an unmined section of the Omega-Malakoff Tertiary Channel in February, 2010 that made national news. The nuggets are accompanied by two large original nineteenth-century bullion scales (Christian Becker, New York; Henry Troemner, Philadelphia), It is accompanied in the sale by some masterful original Gold Rush art, inclusive of a spectacular and early rendition of a miner, several broadsides- a miner in lithographic form, panoramic views of mining communities, a number of original Currier & Ives prints of the Gold Rush and Salt Lake City, stage coach pieces, and the Alaska 1893 Yukon/Alaska Miners Union Banner.
A massive Gold Rush banking collection covers the 1850’s through 1860’s in California and Nevada, with what is probably the largest Gold Rush period banking collection ever offered publicly. It contains more than 100 different Bills of Exchange, a form of the first circulating currency on the West Coast. A wonderful and large collection of Gold Rush banking documents augments this fine collection, along with original leather gold pokes and money belts.
Some of the highlights of the Gold Rush Collection are documents from the original 1910 San Francisco sale of the estate of James King of William, documents signed by Adolph Sutro, California coiner F. D. Kohler, and others. A very rare letter book from Nevada mining and railroad magnate Hume Yerington from the mid-1860’s contains incredible information about his life prior to his railroad successes.
A large collection of US Mint ephemera is included, including rare bullion receipts, photographs, lithograph, gold coin and other coin bank bags, as well as rare Carson City gold and silver coins. Accompanying the Mint ephemera is a section of California Counters and rare California Gold Rush tokens.
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Jacksonville,CA - Tuolumne County - April 5, 1854 - Adams & Co Daily Report :2000 - Jacksonville,CA - Tuolumne County - April 5, 1854 - Adams & Co Daily Report :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
This completed daily report for Jacksonville, CA provides values of ingots on hand at $ 730.00, Small Coins worth $13.00, Gold Dust of ¾ ounce,...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 750.00
Sold to F*******d for (200.00 + 35.00BP) = 235.00
 
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San Francisco,CA - February 8 ,1854 - Adams & Co Assay Receipt No. 416 :2001 - San Francisco,CA - February 8 ,1854 - Adams & Co Assay Receipt No. 416 :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
The assay results are printed on thin blue Adams & Co ledger measuring 7 ¾” x 9 ¾” ¾.” The names of Adams & Co. and those of...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 1,250.00 | Estimate : 2,500.00 - 3,500.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - January 3, 1855 - Adams & Co Assay Receipt No. 169 :2002 - San Francisco,CA - January 3, 1855 - Adams & Co Assay Receipt No. 169 :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
The assay results are printed on thin blue Adams & Co ledger measuring 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”. The names of Adams & Co. and those of Curtis, ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 1,250.00 | Estimate : 2,500.00 - 3,500.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - May 23, 1854 - Adams & Co Daily Report :2003 - San Francisco,CA - May 23, 1854 - Adams & Co Daily Report :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
This unused daily report sheet is in immaculate condition. This blue paper document has categories for the following: "Ingots on hand, Small Co...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to F*******d for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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AZ - September 23, 1881 - Arivaca Milling & Refining Co. Laboratory & Assay Receipt :2004 - AZ - September 23, 1881 - Arivaca Milling & Refining Co. Laboratory & Assay Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Assay receipt for samples from the Californie Mine submitted by J.A. Fawcett. The samples averaged about $218 per ton silver and totaled $241.17. Sign
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 550.00 | Estimate : 1,100.00 - 2,000.00
 
 
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AR - 1897-1944 - Arizona Assay Receipts :2005 - AR - 1897-1944 - Arizona Assay Receipts :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of 10 Arizona assay documents covering roughly 45 years of assaying services by Arizona Ore Sampling Works (Kingman, AZ), Merrimac Mining Co. (Chl
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 500.00
Sold to p********n for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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New York,NY - c1900 - Assay Circular Document :2006 - New York,NY - c1900 - Assay Circular Document :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Eimer & Amend Assay Circular. This 16 page catalog of assay equipment all illustrated. Very fine.
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p********n for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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San Francisco,CA - Sept. 19, 1885 - Bank of California Bullion Receipt :2007 - San Francisco,CA - Sept. 19, 1885 - Bank of California Bullion Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 642/3 bullion receipt. X-rare (1-3 known) probably R8. Receipt issued for bullion bar submitted to the bank for payment. Receipt for an ingot valu
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 250.00 - 450.00
Sold to p********n for (160.00 + 28.00BP) = 188.00
 
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San Francisco,CA - September 26, 1863 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandum of Deposit :2008 - San Francisco,CA - September 26, 1863 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandum of Deposit :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two: #1: No. 3588 Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposited by Brumagem & Co., with the following assay results: Weight before melting 101.40...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,000.00 - 1,500.00
Sold to 4***4 for (850.00 + 148.75BP) = 998.75
 
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San Francisco,CA - October 27, 1863 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandum of Deposit :2009 - San Francisco,CA - October 27, 1863 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandum of Deposit :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Memorandum of deposit by I. H. Dall and assay of “4 Silver Bars” No. 1451, 1452, 1453, 1454 listing weights, fineness, and dollar values of each. Tota
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 250.00 - 450.00
Sold to 4***4 for (200.00 + 35.00BP) = 235.00
 
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San Francisco,CA - 1863/1864 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandums :2011 - San Francisco,CA - 1863/1864 - Bell, G. W. Assay Office Memorandums :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of six. Deposited by the Savage Mining Company to different mills on the Comstock. 1) G. W. Bell Assay Office, San Francisco, CA 3-Mar 1864; assa
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,000.00 - 2,000.00
Sold to 8***8 for (750.00 + 131.25BP) = 881.25
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - July 12, 1864 - Bell, G.W. Memorandum Assay of Retorted Silver Am2013 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - July 12, 1864 - Bell, G.W. Memorandum Assay of Retorted Silver Am
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Memorandum Assay of submitted materials by Savage Mining Company. The bar was assayed by the G.W. Bell Assay Office, located in San Francisco. Of all
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
Sold to F*******d for (110.00 + 19.25BP) = 129.25
 
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Weaverville,CA - 1853-1854 - Blake, FW Signature, Rhodes & Lusk Express :2014 - Weaverville,CA - 1853-1854 - Blake, FW Signature, Rhodes & Lusk Express :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Collection of four different Rhodes pieces. 1) No 305. Dec. 27, 1853. Signed by famous assayer and expressman FW Blake. Fancy border at left. Paid to
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 750.00 | Estimate : 1,500.00 - 2,500.00
 
 
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Silver City,ID - Owyhee County - Dec. 3 1871 - Blake & Co. Assay Receipt *Territorial* :2015 - Silver City,ID - Owyhee County - Dec. 3 1871 - Blake & Co. Assay Receipt *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Memorandum of Crude Bullion deposited at the Assay Office of F. Blake & Co. on December 3, 1871. Number 2817 submitted by Owyhee Mining Company ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 2,000.00 - 3,000.00
Sold to F*******d for (1,700.00 + 297.50BP) = 1,997.50
 
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San Juan,CA - Nevada County - April 11, 1860 - Block & Furth Bankers Business Card :2016 - San Juan,CA - Nevada County - April 11, 1860 - Block & Furth Bankers Business Card :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
This is a business card size purchase receipt for gold dust purchased. It is from little known northern Mother Lode region gold dust dealer and banker
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 200.00 | Estimate : 400.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Austin,NV - Lander County - April 16, 1868 - Boalt & Stetefeldt Assay Office :2017 - Austin,NV - Lander County - April 16, 1868 - Boalt & Stetefeldt Assay Office :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 3392. This is an exceptionally rare, R7 perhaps even R8 assay certificate from the John J. Ford Collection. The source of this ore was the Rough...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,000.00 - 2,000.00
Sold to p********n for (600.00 + 105.00BP) = 705.00
 
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Boulder,CO - Boulder County - 1870, 1882 - Boulder Agency Boston Colorado Smelting Co. Assay Receipt2018 - Boulder,CO - Boulder County - 1870, 1882 - Boulder Agency Boston Colorado Smelting Co. Assay Receipt
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Two Item lot. Assay receipts from the Boston and Colorado Smelting Company at the Boulder Agency. The first receipt dates October 3, 1870. It is signe
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 500.00
Sold to p********n for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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Denver,CO - Denver County - August 18, 1879 - Burlingame, E.E.  Assay Office and Chemical Laboratory2019 - Denver,CO - Denver County - August 18, 1879 - Burlingame, E.E. Assay Office and Chemical Laboratory
Holabird-Kagin Americana
“Certificate of Assay” No. 4/109 For a J.L. Cunningham for a sample valued at having 12oz. of silver valued at $13.20. Burlingame’s office was located
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
Sold to p********n for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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Tonopah,NV - Nye County - June 12, 1907 - Butler, Jim Mining Co. Assay Document :2020 - Tonopah,NV - Nye County - June 12, 1907 - Butler, Jim Mining Co. Assay Document :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Daily cash report. Orange half page paper with black and pink ink. Nothing hand written - all stamped. Document shows that the Tonopah Banking Corpora
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 300.00
Sold to p********n for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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Caliente,NV - Lincoln County - 1930 - Caliente Assays and Correspondence :2021 - Caliente,NV - Lincoln County - 1930 - Caliente Assays and Correspondence :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of four assay certificates and accompanying correspondence addressed to E.C.D. Marriage in Caliente, from the American Smelting and Refining Co. i
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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