5300

City of San Francisco Seal Die

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:1,250.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 4,000.00 USD
City of San Francisco Seal Die
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Unique die for the City of San Francisco seal. This die is the prized possession of the original founder of the Nevada City Mint. He purchased it from the Shreve's sale of about 1977, when other rare Shreve items were sold. It is 2.5 x 2.75" rectangle at the bottom and 2.5 x 2 1/8 at the top. 2.5" tall. The die is broken at the collar of the top. We could fine no medals struck with this die in any archive or collection we know of. It might be postulated that this die was a mistake. The known representations show "City and County of San Francisco", not just the city, singularly. The design and dual useage of city/county goes back at least as far as the early 1860's. But that seal shows the city-county designation as well as has a shaded background. This die has a clear background. Most official dies of this nature were destroyed by the San Francisco earthquake of April 1906. We suspect Shreve was appointed to make a new die for the City/County, and this die may have been a mistake, using only the city designation. It bears serial number 1594 on the edge. It may be the only die remaining using the old shield/mining vignette designation used since the gold rush, but has now changed. Comes with two examples struck from this die for the Nevada City Mint founder, one silver and one white metal. San Francisco California HWAC# 33778
we have new information from a serious San Francisco collector. this is a shreve die from the 1950's from a sterling silver perpetual calendar. It is an exact match.