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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San Francisco,CA -  Oct. 10, 1854 - Burgoyne & Co. First and Second of Exchange :2145 - San Francisco,CA - Oct. 10, 1854 - Burgoyne & Co. First and Second of Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
First of Exchange No. 22353, issued to Hamlet Davis. Signed Burgoyne & Co. with endorsement on reverse. Second of exchange 22353 issued Oct. 10,...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to m*****r for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - June 7, 1852 - Burgoyne Banking House Third of Exchange Filled in - RARE! :2146 - San Francisco,CA - June 7, 1852 - Burgoyne Banking House Third of Exchange Filled in - RARE! :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Issued to Julius Koman for 30 pounds Sterling. Drawn on Banking House of Burgoyne & Co., MSsrs. Baring Brothers & Co., London. Manuscript o...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to m*****r for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - Sept. 13, 1875 - Burnett, Peter Signed Second of Exchange :2147 - San Francisco,CA - Sept. 13, 1875 - Burnett, Peter Signed Second of Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 2321 issued to Dr. Geo. Brown for $150. Signed by E. Morgan, Cashier and Peter Burnett. Burnett became the first governor of California in 1849.
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
Sold to 9***1 for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - May 5th, 1876 - Donohoe, Kelly & Co. Exchange with Imprinted Revenue Stamp :2148 - San Francisco,CA - May 5th, 1876 - Donohoe, Kelly & Co. Exchange with Imprinted Revenue Stamp :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
First of Exchange with RNG “Eugene Kelly & Co, NY.” at left with allegorical vignette of two ladies. Printed by Le Count Bros., San Francisco. P...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to t********n.. for (70.00 + 12.25BP) = 82.25
 
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San Francisco,CA - Jan 15, 1855 - Drexel, Sather & Church Bankers, Duplicate Exchange :2149 - San Francisco,CA - Jan 15, 1855 - Drexel, Sather & Church Bankers, Duplicate Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 21922 duplicate exchange signed by Drexel, Sather & Church. Pay to the order of E. H. Fitch Phelps for $100.00. Vignette at left, cameo sty...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
 
 
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Apalachicola,FL - 1852-1856 - Florida Exchanges :2150 - Apalachicola,FL - 1852-1856 - Florida Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of four. 1) First of exchange issued Apr. 2, 1852. Endorsed on reverse with red manuscript across face. Blk on white. 2) First of exchange issued
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to m*****r for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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Corvallis,OR - Benton County - December 4, 1879 - Hamilton, W. B. & Co Bankers Bill of Exchange :2151 - Corvallis,OR - Benton County - December 4, 1879 - Hamilton, W. B. & Co Bankers Bill of Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Bill of Exchange from the W.B. Hamilton & Co Bankers in Corvallis, Oregon dated December 4, 1879. Stamped "Paid" December 15, 1879 for...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 125.00 | Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
 
 
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Sacramento,CA - C. 1860 - Hastings, R. F. & Co. :2152 - Sacramento,CA - C. 1860 - Hastings, R. F. & Co. :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Issued Dec. 10, 1860. Drawn on Hastings & Co. Intricate patterning in borders with shell and floral motif at left. Manuscript ink fading otherwi...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 75.00 | Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
 
 
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Oahu,HI - Nov. 23, 1837 - Hawaii Exchange, Early :2153 - Oahu,HI - Nov. 23, 1837 - Hawaii Exchange, Early :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Issued for $115. Signed Coggeshore. Other events from that year include submission of a ship vessel to the Hawaiian government, opening of a boarding
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to 8***8 for (325.00 + 56.88BP) = 381.88
 
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New York,NY - March 6, 1855 - King, James G. Sons' Ephemera Collection :2154 - New York,NY - March 6, 1855 - King, James G. Sons' Ephemera Collection :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of 3. James Gore King was born in 1791 in New York City and died 1853 in New Jersey. A Congressman from 1849 to 1851, he founded King & Gra...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
 
 
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Downieville,CA - Sierra County - Lamping Exchange Book :2155 - Downieville,CA - Sierra County - Lamping Exchange Book :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Exchange book consisting of 23 uncut, unissued original and duplicate pairs (first's and second's) bound with brown, black, red marble paper...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 750.00 - 1,500.00
Sold to 3***2 for (375.00 + 65.63BP) = 440.63
 
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San Francisco,CA - 1876-1879 - London & San Francisco Ltd. Exchanges :2156 - San Francisco,CA - 1876-1879 - London & San Francisco Ltd. Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two. 1) No. 12/2249 issued Dec. 5, 1876 to Woods & Conahan for $2377. One blue 2 cent revenue stamp at lower left. Red "U.S. Gold Co...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 125.00 | Estimate : 250.00 - 500.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - 1888-1890 - London, Paris & American Bank, Limited Exchanges :2157 - San Francisco,CA - 1888-1890 - London, Paris & American Bank, Limited Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of three. One first, second of exchange of the same variety with blue printed numbers. One second of exchange of a different variety with red prin
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - c. 1856 - Lucas, Turner & Co. Second of Exchange :2158 - San Francisco,CA - c. 1856 - Lucas, Turner & Co. Second of Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Second of Exchange issued Sept. 5, 1856. Vignette of seated woman with a staff and profile view of woman at bottom. Further information provided under
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 300.00 - 600.00
Sold to m*****r for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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San Francisco,CA - Sept. 19, 1856 - Lucas, Turner & Co. Second of Exchange :2159 - San Francisco,CA - Sept. 19, 1856 - Lucas, Turner & Co. Second of Exchange :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
No. 42001 issued for $200. Signed Lucas, Turner & Co. Exchange Bank, Boston. Vignette of seated woman with staff at top, profile view of woman ...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to t********n.. for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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New Orleans,LA - June 20, 1853 - New Orleans Bank Exchanges :2162 - New Orleans,LA - June 20, 1853 - New Orleans Bank Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of six. 1) Brown, Johnston & Co second of exchange issued. Vignette of man with scroll at left and eagle/shield at right. Danforth, Bald &am...
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Estimate : 500.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to 8***8 for (200.00 + 35.00BP) = 235.00
 
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New York,NY - 1870/1872 - New York Exchanges :2163 - New York,NY - 1870/1872 - New York Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two: 1) Third of exchange No. 1166 issued Sept. 2, 1870 for 120 pounds. 9" x 4". 2) Uncut second and third exchanges, No. 1951 iss...
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Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
 
 
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New York,NY - c. 1916 - New York Exchanges :2164 - New York,NY - c. 1916 - New York Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two: 1) First exchange No. 396 issued Dec. 11, 1916. Multiple stamps across face and reverse, c.1917. Endorsed on reverse, canceled by punches
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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San Francisco,CA - Apr. 18, 1870 - Nord Deutch Bank Exchanges :2165 - San Francisco,CA - Apr. 18, 1870 - Nord Deutch Bank Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two: 1) No. 356 third of exchange, with vignette of steamer ship and train at left and steamer ship at upper right. 2) No. 182 issued June 7, 1
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
 
 
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Columbus,OH - 1838-1856 - Ohio Exchanges :2166 - Columbus,OH - 1838-1856 - Ohio Exchanges :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of six. 1) First of exchange No. 120 issued Dec. 3, 1856. Vignette of Poseidon and woman riding on clamshell and horse with claw in water (center)
Bidding Has Concluded
Quantity : 1 | Start Price : 150.00 | Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
 
 
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