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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Portland,OR - Multnomah - October 22, 1890 - Huntley Hampton, Wm Analytical Chemist and Assayer Spee2043 - Portland,OR - Multnomah - October 22, 1890 - Huntley Hampton, Wm Analytical Chemist and Assayer Spee
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Handwritten speech on the mineral wealth of the northwest. Written by William Hunter Hampton for a mining banquet October 22, 1890. Two and a half pag
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to p********n for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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Deadwood,SD - Lawrence County - February 10, 1903 - Jackson, George S. United States Assay Office Le2044 - Deadwood,SD - Lawrence County - February 10, 1903 - Jackson, George S. United States Assay Office Le
Holabird-Kagin Americana
A letter from Deadwood, South Dakota dated February 10, 1903 addressed to Honorable E.W. Martin in Washington D.C. from George S. Jackson. The letter
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 300.00
Sold to p********n for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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Tucson,AZ - Pima County - April 20, 1904 - Jacobs, E.A., Assayer, Handwritten Letter :2045 - Tucson,AZ - Pima County - April 20, 1904 - Jacobs, E.A., Assayer, Handwritten Letter :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
This letter is written on company stationary and signed by E. A. Jacobs. It accompanied a certificate for samples submitted for assay and explains the
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 350.00
Sold to p********n for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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San Francisco,CA - March 22, 1859 - Justh & Hunter Assay Receipt San Francisco :2046 - San Francisco,CA - March 22, 1859 - Justh & Hunter Assay Receipt San Francisco :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Assay receipt from the assay offices of Justh & Hunter at San Francisco dated March 22, 1859. Signed on the bottom by Hardy and Kennedy and E. S...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 2,000.00 - 4,000.00
Sold to 8*****B for (1,600.00 + 280.00BP) = 1,880.00
 
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San Francisco,CA - September 24, 1859 - Justh Assay Office and Gold and Silver Refinery :2047 - San Francisco,CA - September 24, 1859 - Justh Assay Office and Gold and Silver Refinery :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 1714 memorandum of gold bullion deposited by W.F. & Co. and C.T.H. Palmer. According to the assay report the weight of the bullion before me...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,000.00 - 2,000.00
Sold to F*******d for (750.00 + 131.25BP) = 881.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - Kellogg and Richter Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposit :2048 - San Francisco,CA - Kellogg and Richter Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposit :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Receipt 355 for a J. Adams & Co. for an assayed sampled of gold dust valued at $1,245.19. Document measures 6” x 8.75” and is printed on blue p...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 2,500.00 - 5,000.00
Sold to 4***4 for (2,750.00 + 481.25BP) = 3,231.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bullion Memorandums (3) :2049 - San Francisco,CA - Kellogg & Humbert Gold Bullion Memorandums (3) :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of three. 1) Issued Nov. 10, 1858 to H. Coghill & Co. for $4968. Coghill was a native to Virginia and became a respectable merchant and stre...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 250.00 | Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - November 2, 1858 - Kellogg & Humbert’s Assay Memorandum of Gold Bullion :2051 - San Francisco,CA - November 2, 1858 - Kellogg & Humbert’s Assay Memorandum of Gold Bullion :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by J.H. Coghill & Co. Weight before melting 275.00oz, after melting 267.27oz, Fineness .884, Net value afte...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 750.00
Sold to 0***6 for (350.00 + 61.25BP) = 411.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - July 5, 1859 - Kellogg & Humbert's Assay Office Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposi2052 - San Francisco,CA - July 5, 1859 - Kellogg & Humbert's Assay Office Memorandum of Gold Bullion Deposi
Holabird-Kagin Americana
There are two types of Kellogg & Humbert’s receipts, 1) a plain form and 2) with a vignette in the left margin of their assay office located at ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 125.00 | Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - July 12, 1859 - Kellogg & Humbert’s Assay Memorandum of Gold Bullion :2053 - San Francisco,CA - July 12, 1859 - Kellogg & Humbert’s Assay Memorandum of Gold Bullion :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by D.O. Mills & Co. This receipt and the next two offered are all the same size and design, (measuring 10 &...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 250.00 - 375.00
Sold to 4***4 for (275.00 + 48.13BP) = 323.13
 
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San Francisco,CA - May 3, 1862 - Kellogg, Hewston & Co. Assay receipt :2054 - San Francisco,CA - May 3, 1862 - Kellogg, Hewston & Co. Assay receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Kellogg, Hewston & Co., for Refining, 416 Montgomery St. No. 1541 Memorandum of Gold Bullion deposited by Faulkner & Co. Weight before me...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to 4***4 for (225.00 + 39.38BP) = 264.38
 
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Amador City,CA - Amador County - 1882-1902 - Keystone Consolidated Mining Co. Assay Receipts :2055 - Amador City,CA - Amador County - 1882-1902 - Keystone Consolidated Mining Co. Assay Receipts :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of three assay receipts. 1: Hand written receipt for assay services for Dec. 30, 1882 $175 (L.T. Lewis) Voucher #19 printed on reverse. Signed. Go
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 300.00
Sold to t********n.. for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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Virginia,NV - Storey County - August 24, 1865 - Kuh, Leopold Assay Office :2056 - Virginia,NV - Storey County - August 24, 1865 - Kuh, Leopold Assay Office :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Two item lot of Memorandum of deposited samples at Leopold Kuh, Assay Office in Virginia, Nevada dated August 24, 1865 and its corresponding envelope
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 1,500.00 - 3,000.00
Sold to 8***8 for (1,800.00 + 315.00BP) = 2,115.00
 
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Austin,NV - Lander County - April 12, 1866 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :2057 - Austin,NV - Lander County - April 12, 1866 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 1871. Report of a pulp sample from the Pistorine Mines. It was deposited by William Pardye- mining agent. There is an ornate vignette of a miner
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 600.00 - 1,200.00
Sold to p********n for (425.00 + 74.38BP) = 499.38
 
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Austin,NV - Lander County - November 25, 1870 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :2058 - Austin,NV - Lander County - November 25, 1870 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 7782. Specimen deposited for assay and assay results for a sample submitted by N.S. Gallagher. Total value of specimen estimated at $325.16. Vigne
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to F*******d for (200.00 + 35.00BP) = 235.00
 
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Austin,NV - Lander County - August 28, 1874 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :2059 - Austin,NV - Lander County - August 28, 1874 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No.8299. Specimen of pulp deposited by Mr. Julius Peterman signed by David Lundbom and D.J.Sydow. Allegorical vignette of two women doing agricultura
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to p********n for (325.00 + 56.88BP) = 381.88
 
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Eureka,NV - Eureka County - December 13 1871 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :2060 - Eureka,NV - Eureka County - December 13 1871 - Lundbom, David Assay Office Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 8546. This certificate is a natural succession to the other Lundbom certificates. By 1871 Lundbom's business was so popular that he and his ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to p********n for (325.00 + 56.88BP) = 381.88
 
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Moore's Flat,CA - Nevada County - Marks & Co. Receipt :2061 - Moore's Flat,CA - Nevada County - Marks & Co. Receipt :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
This is a business card sized purchase receipt for gold dust “bought”. It does not include assay results. On the reverse is the name A. K. Canyon. The
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to F*******d for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - 1849 - Mellus Howard & Co Gold Dust Shipment :2062 - San Francisco,CA - 1849 - Mellus Howard & Co Gold Dust Shipment :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Shipment receipt for "one box of gold dust" shipped by San Francisco merchant Mellus Howard & Co. on board steamer Panama consigned to...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 2,500.00 - 5,000.00
Sold to F*******d for (1,000.00 + 175.00BP) = 1,175.00
 
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Georgetown,CO - Clear Creek County - March 23, 1888 - Miners Sampling Works :2063 - Georgetown,CO - Clear Creek County - March 23, 1888 - Miners Sampling Works :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Bought of Pomeroy. Assayed specimen from the Baltimore Dump. Assayed at having 119 ounces of silver per ton. Valued at being $82.91 per ton with a ro
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 300.00
Sold to 8*****B for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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