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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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1937 - The Sage of the Comstock Lode: Boom Days in Virginia City,3821 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1937 - The Sage of the Comstock Lode: Boom Days in Virginia City,
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The Saga of the Comstock Lode: Boom Days in Virginia City by George D. Lyman 1937 – A book on the classic history of the Comstock Lode in Virginia Cit
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Start Price : 20.00 | Estimate : 40.00 - 60.00
 
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1878 - V&T Railroad Shipment Vouchers to Yellow Jacket Smelter :3822 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1878 - V&T Railroad Shipment Vouchers to Yellow Jacket Smelter :
Holabird-Kagin Americana
Lot of two Freight Vouchers with Overcharge Statements on shipments from Reno to the Yellow Jacket Smelter in Gold Hill. Details of the shipments and
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
 
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1880-1930s - Virginia and Truckee Railroad Ephemera Collection :3823 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1880-1930s - Virginia and Truckee Railroad Ephemera Collection :
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Lot of approximately 60 pieces. Included are: receipts, passes, bills of lading, invoices, correspondence, tickets, way-bills, a daily ticket report,
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Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
 
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1900-1910 - Virginia City Brass Fob :3824 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1900-1910 - Virginia City Brass Fob :
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A rectangular brass Fob reading: Commemorating the/ Discovery of Silver/ and showing a scene much like the Nevada state seal, with a prospector and hi
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 100.00
Sold to 1***6 for (25.00 + 4.38BP) = 29.38
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1869-1914 - Virginia City Photograph and Lithograph Reproductions3825 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1869-1914 - Virginia City Photograph and Lithograph Reproductions
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Lot of six reproduced photographs and lithographs from Virginia City NV. The items all measure 8” X 10” and include the following: 1) Lithograph of Go
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - c1920 - Virginia City Prints :3826 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - c1920 - Virginia City Prints :
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Lot of two identical early, colored photographic prints of Virginia City, produced by Standard Oil Company of California. Both are mounted on matting
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Start Price : 25.00 | Estimate : 50.00 - 100.00
 
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1866, 1877 - Virginia, NV Checks :3827 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - 1866, 1877 - Virginia, NV Checks :
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Lot of three checks originating from Virginia, NV. Checks are from different sources. The checks are: 1) May 28, 1866 check from the Superintendent’s
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 40.00 - 60.00
Sold to c****n for (21.00 + 3.68BP) = 24.68
 
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Virginia City,NV - Storey County - October 31, 1866 - Wells Fargo & Co.'s Express Bullion Receipt :3828 - Virginia City,NV - Storey County - October 31, 1866 - Wells Fargo & Co.'s Express Bullion Receipt :
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Standard Wells Fargo & Co.'s Express bullion receipt for shipment of Comstock bullion to San Francisco. This receipt covers 8 bars of bullio...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to p********n for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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Virgnina City,NV - Storey County - 1915-1952 - Building Fronts Post Cards :3829 - Virgnina City,NV - Storey County - 1915-1952 - Building Fronts Post Cards :
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Collection of nine white border real photo post cards. Three are used, six are un-used. Various shots of the front of Virginia City buildings.
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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Washoe County,NV - 1911-1951 - Pioneers and Investors :3830 - Washoe County,NV - 1911-1951 - Pioneers and Investors :
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Lot of three includes: 1) Pioneer Nevada, published by Harolds Cub, Reno NV, copyright 1951. Hardcover, indexed, 207 pages including appendix and many
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 100.00
Sold to 8***8 for (25.00 + 4.38BP) = 29.38
 
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Washoe/Virginia,NV - Gold Rush Bullion Shipment Receipts :3831 - Washoe/Virginia,NV - Gold Rush Bullion Shipment Receipts :
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Lot of three. 1) Handwritten receipt issued Sept. 17, 1866 to Charles Bonner, Esq. For 221 lhs bullion. Atchison Mill Office noted at top right. The A
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to p********n for (75.00 + 13.13BP) = 88.13
 
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Weepah,NV - Esmeralda County - 1927 - Vista of Mining Town Photograph :3832 - Weepah,NV - Esmeralda County - 1927 - Vista of Mining Town Photograph :
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This is a nice photo of the Weepah boom that began in 1927. Photograph measures 4 ½”x2 ¾”, no matte, high contrast, and focus is sharp. ...
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
 
 
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White Pine County,NV - 1874 - Chance Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate :3833 - White Pine County,NV - 1874 - Chance Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate :
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White Pine County, Nevada. Cherry Creek District. Incorporated February 2, 1874. Certificate No. 588 for 10 shares issued to L.B. Clemmons on August 1
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to 6*****H for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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Winnemucca,NV - Humboldt County - October 2, 19000 - Granite Creek Smelting and Refining Company Sto3834 - Winnemucca,NV - Humboldt County - October 2, 19000 - Granite Creek Smelting and Refining Company Sto
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Incorporated in S. Dakota. Cert. # 156, issued to Howard T.Goodwin in 1900 for 2500 shares. Signed by James W. North, President, and by the Secretary.
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Start Price : 50.00 | Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
 
 
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Winnemucca,NV - Humboldt County - 1881-1934 - Nevada Ephemera Group :3836 - Winnemucca,NV - Humboldt County - 1881-1934 - Nevada Ephemera Group :
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Along with an assortment of letters, banking transaction records, and other Winnemucca/ Humboldt County documents, a 1934 reprint of an 1893 Humboldt
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to l******8 for (50.00 + 8.75BP) = 58.75
 
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Yerington,NV - Lyon County - c1910 - Commercial Hotel Photograph :3837 - Yerington,NV - Lyon County - c1910 - Commercial Hotel Photograph :
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A view of about 40 men standing and sitting in front of a commercial building. Photograph 9 1/2 x 7 1/2", mounted on 10 x 7 3/4" beige bac...
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Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 500.00
 
 
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Yerington,NV - Lyon County - 1890-1930 - Nevada Railroad Ephemera :3838 - Yerington,NV - Lyon County - 1890-1930 - Nevada Railroad Ephemera :
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Lot of about 25 pieces relating to 5 different rail lines that include: 1) Nevada-California-Oregon Railway letter dated 1927, datelined Alturas, and
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
Sold to 5***3 for (100.00 + 17.50BP) = 117.50
 
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Albany,NY - 1849 - Wells & Co. Document :3839 - Albany,NY - 1849 - Wells & Co. Document :
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Receipt for freight. This Wells & Co. was run by Henry Wells of Wells Fargo and is different than the other Wells & Co. document in this sal...
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Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
 
 
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Albany/Buffalo,NY - Aug 21, 1847 - A. Houliston/ W.W. Van Zandt Letter :3840 - Albany/Buffalo,NY - Aug 21, 1847 - A. Houliston/ W.W. Van Zandt Letter :
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Handwritten letter asking the Houliston Exchange Bank (Buffalo, NY) for 2000 bank notes ($5 denomination) struck by the Albany NY Co. Signed by WW Van
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Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
 
 
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McGill,NY - White Pine County - c1912 - Street Scene in McGill Photograph :3841 - McGill,NY - White Pine County - c1912 - Street Scene in McGill Photograph :
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An early street scene of McGill after the town boomed as the location for the smelter that serviced the large copper mine outside Ely. Photograph mea
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 100.00
Sold to r******h for (25.00 + 4.38BP) = 29.38
 
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