4059

Cal Gold Rush John C. Freemont- Mariposa [173460]

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Mining Start Price:250.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Cal Gold Rush John C. Freemont- Mariposa    [173460]
SOLD
200.00USDto O*********n+ buyer's premium (50.00)
This item SOLD at 2023 Dec 10 @ 09:20UTC-8 : PST/AKDT

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This is a collection of stock certificates from John C. Fremont's efforts overseas, mainly in France, to fund California Gold Rush mining ventures on his Mariposa Estate Land Grant.

Lot of five stock certificates:

1) L'Aurifere Compagnie Universelle Des Mines D'Or De La Californie stock certificate, 1850. French-owned Fremont Grant mining stock. Paris, January 26, 1850. Series 3202, No. 1. Issued for 10 francs. Two illegible signatures. Signed on the back. Red stamp on left border. Black print on green with ornate border. 3.75x7.5". Horizontal and vertical folds, left border cut in a wavy pattern, creases along top border.

2) Ave Maria gold Quartz Mine stock certificate, Mariposa, California, Gold Rush. One of the earliest hard rock mines in California and first leased out by John C. Fremont from his Mariposa Land Grant. incorporated in 1851. Issued in 1852. Signed by Committee members Ward and Ryde and Secretary Robert C. Duke. Light blue paper with blue printing. 5 shares: numbers 26756 to 26760. Left edge is wavy cut, right edge has some soiling on the reverse. 6.5x9.5". The Ave Maria's place is verified by a letter written from John Duncan to John Fremont on December 26, 1851. In the letter he clearly states that the Ave Maria is located on the Mariposa Estate and on the Ave Maria River. (The Expeditions of John Charles Fremont, Volume 3, edited by Spence). Today the Ave Maria River is known as the Stockton Creek (Ref: Gudde). There was a small town by that name at the confluence of the Ave Maria and Mariposa. In November 1851, The Glasgow Herald reported equipment was in place for mining operations to begin.

3) Le Nouveau Monde Mining Stock Certificate No. 70746 to 70750, California Gold Rush, 1852. 'Le Nouveau Monde' means "New World". Issued for five shares of 25 francs each. Pen date at top is 1852. Brown on creme. Small stamp (top right) of Lady Justice without blindfold. 6.5x10". Excellent condition.

4) Le Nouveau Monde Mining Stock Certificate No. 386001 to 386005, California Gold Rush, 1852. 'Le Nouveau Monde' means "New World". Issued for five shares of 25 francs each. Black on pink. Small stamp (top left) of Lady Justice with blindfold. 6.5x10". Excellent condition.

5) Le Nouveau Monde Mining Stock Certificate No. 106121 to 106125, California Gold Rush, 1852. 'Le Nouveau Monde' means "New World". Issued for five shares of 25 francs each. Pen date at top is 1852. Brown on creme. Some toning. Small stamp (top right) of Lady Justice without blindfold. 6.5x10".

These are one of the 18 early publicly traded stocks formed on the Mariposa Estate. The London Times called this company "a nefarious Mining Company." The name calling, however, went both ways. In a letter from Fremont to is agent in London, Hoffman, on October 29, 1851 he complains that the company men have arrived with no funds to even cover preliminary work. He approved the company to get a lease, but did not give them a location yet. Not until they had the funds to work a claim. They were, however, an actual gold producing operation. The Le Nouveau was the first organized, public company in John C. Fremont's Mariposa District. These were probably issued before this company had any real properties because on the back it says "no deed need be signed." This was the first overseas company formed by John C. Fremont and his London lawyer David Hoffman. Fremont had rights tot he Mariposa Land Grant which would become known as the Mariposa Estate. It comprised 44,386 acres. When Marshal discovered gold he began to explore his property for the ore. He eventually sent two samples to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia which assayed at $3510 a ton and $242 a ton for the average rock. He hired Hoffman to find European investors in the California Gold Rush. Fremont's royalty was 16.6% of the gross production. It was funded by French and English investors.

Franklin Collection.


Mariposa California Franklin Collection