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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GA - March 31, 1870 - Southern Express Bills of Lading :2592 - GA - March 31, 1870 - Southern Express Bills of Lading :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of three. 1) Issued to A.J. McGaughey for $124. Signed H.L. Spencer, company agent. Red on white. Serifed titling. 2)Issued Aug. 2, 1880 for $15
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 300.00
 
 
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Delamar,ID - Owyhee County - c1895 - DeLamar Photograph :2593 - Delamar,ID - Owyhee County - c1895 - DeLamar Photograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Photograph of a mining community nestled along the banks of a river. The image measures 8 1/2" x 6 1/2", mounted on dark olive cardstock m...
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Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Dewey,ID - Owyhee County - c1880 - Dewey Photograph :2594 - Dewey,ID - Owyhee County - c1880 - Dewey Photograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Photograph overlooking the valley containing Dewey. Measures 8 1/2" x 6 1/2", mounted on dark olive cardstock measuring 12" x 10"...
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Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Placer District,ID - Boise County - July 16, 1864 - Great Cons. Boise River GSMC Stock Certificate *2595 - Placer District,ID - Boise County - July 16, 1864 - Great Cons. Boise River GSMC Stock Certificate *
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Simple black border and print. Vignette of river through mountains. There is a man pushing an ore car on track outside tunnel at right, and a man with
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to 8***1 for (325.00 + 56.88BP) = 381.88
 
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Silver City,ID - Owyhee County - c1880 - Silver City Photograph *Territorial* :2596 - Silver City,ID - Owyhee County - c1880 - Silver City Photograph *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Photograph overlooking the valley containing Silver City. Measures 8 1/2" x 7", mounted on dark olive cardstock measuring 12" x 10&qu...
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Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Silver City (Owyhee),ID - Owyhee County - 1868 - DuRell & Moore Documents *Territorial* :2597 - Silver City (Owyhee),ID - Owyhee County - 1868 - DuRell & Moore Documents *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Two notices of payment from the Office of DuRell & Moore in Silver City (Owyhee) Idaho Territory. The transactions were being completed between ...
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Start Price : 125.00 | Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
 
 
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IL - c1850s - Adams & Co. Express Brass Franking Stamp :2598 - IL - c1850s - Adams & Co. Express Brass Franking Stamp :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Adams & Co. Express brass franking stamp. Made by Jas Murdock Jr., die sinker, Cincinnati. “Adams Express Company URSA 6457 ILL” with three sta...
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Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to p********n for (250.00 + 43.75BP) = 293.75
 
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Chicago,IL - c1893 - Buffalo Bill Cody "Programme," Stereoview :2599 - Chicago,IL - c1893 - Buffalo Bill Cody "Programme," Stereoview :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two items: 1) "Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World Historical Sketches, & Programme." Dated ...
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Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to m********t for (350.00 + 61.25BP) = 411.25
 
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Wichita,KS - Sedgwick County - c1880 - Street Scene Stereoview :2600 - Wichita,KS - Sedgwick County - c1880 - Street Scene Stereoview :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Each side measures 3 ¾’’x 3 ¾’’and 7’’x 4’’ on tan matte. Medium contrast and focus is good. Matte has four very small black dots on the...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
Sold to a**********r for (150.00 + 26.25BP) = 176.25
 
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New Orleans,LA - New Orleans Metropolitan Area - 1860 - SS Republic Lithograph :2601 - New Orleans,LA - New Orleans Metropolitan Area - 1860 - SS Republic Lithograph :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Rare SS Republic Lithograph. Measures approximately 2” x 3” and is on card stock backing. This is one of the only known views of the SS Republic when
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Start Price : 1,500.00 | Estimate : 3,000.00 - 4,000.00
 
 
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MT - July 1, 1876 - Montana Territory Gold Bond *Territorial* :2602 - MT - July 1, 1876 - Montana Territory Gold Bond *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Gold bond issued by the Territory of Nevada for $1000 indebted to the Kountze Brothers on July 1, 1876. The bond measures 10 ¼” x 14” and has a...
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Start Price : 200.00 | Estimate : 400.00 - 600.00
 
 
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MT - 1867 - Oregon Stage Company Payment Document *Territorial* :2603 - MT - 1867 - Oregon Stage Company Payment Document *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two. 1: Handwritten document of cash payments from March 1867 to individuals including stage agents, blacksmiths, tolls, saddler, advertising,
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to 8***8 for (200.00 + 35.00BP) = 235.00
 
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Alder Gulch,MT - Sept. 18, 1865 - California Mining Co. Tax Receipt *Territorial* :2604 - Alder Gulch,MT - Sept. 18, 1865 - California Mining Co. Tax Receipt *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Tax receipt No. 331 issued to company of California Mining for placer mining in Alder Gulch. Gold was discovered in the region of Alder Gulch in May 1
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Start Price : 400.00 | Estimate : 800.00 - 1,000.00
 
 
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East Bannack,MT - East Bannack Gold and Silver Stock Certificate *Territorial* :2605 - East Bannack,MT - East Bannack Gold and Silver Stock Certificate *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Cert. No 103 issued to George W. Abbe for 800 shares. Abbe also signed as president of the East Bannack GSMC. Therefore this cert. Issued to the presi
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to F*******d for (400.00 + 70.00BP) = 470.00
 
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Fort Benton,MT - Chouteau County - Glick and Powers Licenses *Territorial* :2606 - Fort Benton,MT - Chouteau County - Glick and Powers Licenses *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two. 1) License No. 4073 issued June 24, 1867 to "The Merchant Prince" Thomas C. Powers. Powers' first license to operate busin...
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Start Price : 250.00 | Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
 
 
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Fort Benton,MT - Chouteau County - 1867 - Northwest Fur Co. License *Territorial* :2607 - Fort Benton,MT - Chouteau County - 1867 - Northwest Fur Co. License *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
License No. 4070. Issued June 21, 1867. Granted March 1, 1867 to Feb. 29, 1868. American Fur Co. Based in Benton, MT folded in 1864. Subsequently, own
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Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Oneida County,MT - July 12, 1867 - Oneida Montana Gold and Silver Mining Co. Stock *Territorial* :2608 - Oneida County,MT - July 12, 1867 - Oneida Montana Gold and Silver Mining Co. Stock *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Cert. No. 91 issued to Benjamin D. Gilbert for 43 shares. Early previously unknown certificate and mine. A railway is noted to have been built from Og
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to p********n for (425.00 + 74.38BP) = 499.38
 
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Virginia City,MT - Madison County - 1865-1867 - Chinese Gambling House Licenses *Territorial* :2609 - Virginia City,MT - Madison County - 1865-1867 - Chinese Gambling House Licenses *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of three. 1: License No. 3571 issued March 15, 1864 to "Sam Pau, Chinaman". Granted March 15-April 15, 1867. $50. Fine. 4" x 5&qu...
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Start Price : 250.00 | Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
 
 
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Virginia City,MT - Madison County - c1866 - Daguerreotype License *Territorial* :2610 - Virginia City,MT - Madison County - c1866 - Daguerreotype License *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
License No. 3699 issued on May 15, 1866 to J.M Fickett & Co. (daguerreotypist). Granted May 8, 1866-Aug. 11, 1866. Important document to early p...
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Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Virginia City,MT - Madison County - Sept. 12, 1865 - Glick, J.S. Tax Receipt *Territorial* :2611 - Virginia City,MT - Madison County - Sept. 12, 1865 - Glick, J.S. Tax Receipt *Territorial* :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Tax receipt No. 1722 issued to Jerome Glick for property valued at $1100.00. $15.40 paid. Intact, uncut document to the famous doctor who saved the li
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Start Price : 200.00 | Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
 
 
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