Gold Rush Auction

Auction Details

Welcome to our Gold Rush sale of 2018!!

The sale features the Al Adams Gold Rush Memorabilia Collection
and a number of other prominent collections.

Mr. Adams has been collecting for over 40 years, and along the way assembled perhaps the best collection in private hands, making this sale a “Once in a Lifetime Event.” His specialty is an area few Americans ever knew about- the Georgia - North Carolina gold rush, c1799-1840’s, literally decades before the California Gold Rush. Just think about some of the great pieces in this collection:

*The first Gold Company stock certificate (1807)

*1830 Letter from Georgia Bank to US Mint asking what to do with the gold coming in

*Gold Lottery Tickets for Georgia land

*Gold Lot Deeds with Medals rarely seen by collectors

*Pigeon Roost Mining Co. scrip collection (1835-1838), possibly the finest assembled

*Belfast Mining Co. scrip collection (1830’s), finest assembled

*Dahlonega, Charlotte, San Francisco, Carson City, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia Mint gold bullion receipts

*Gold Rush era private assayer bullion receipts from California, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Arizona

*1840’s, 1850’s and 1860’s mining company stock certificates from both the east (Appalachian gold belt) and the West (California, Nevada, Colorado) – the best offering to date.

*Over two dozen different Nevada territorial stock certificates.

These tidbits are part of this unique sale, which makes it the best offering of its kind in history.

The Gold Rush sale is nothing short of phenomenal.

The Gold Rush Setting

Here is the setting under which the gold discoveries in Georgia and North Carolina were made:

…Imagine a world before the civil war, before the gold rush, right after the United States was formed. We had just created our first coinage in the early to mid 1790’s. As a country, we had just 16 states by 1800, which crept up to 24 states by 1821 and remained there for 15 years! Development of the areas south and west of and in the original 13 states was slow. It was called the “western frontier”. The “America” then consisted of Native Americans and expats from western Europe looking for a better life. Most were farmers or merchants. The “scientists” of the western world remained in western Europe. Mankind dint know much about geology- indeed, the first geologic map was printed in Europe in 1799, and it would take another 25-30 years before we had anything similar in America. The science of ore deposits was not well understood, and was only just recently out from under the mystique of Alchemy.

Enter the discovery of a gold nugget in North Carolina in 1799. It took fully 29 years before substantive gold discoveries were made in Georgia and North Carolina. Here is the amazing part- these discoveries were made from good-old American ingenuity. Not one single miner had an education in mining in Europe. As far as is known, not a single man in the Georgia, North Carolina gold rush had been a miner. These men developed the ability to look for gold and mining systems on their own in the American wilderness, a marvelous feat of accomplishment – a true iconic part of American ingenuity at its best.

More on the Auction

To add to this remarkable collection are hundreds of mining artifacts, including many collected from Georgia mines, as well as a fantastic Numismatic library inclusive of many rarities.

*Other collections featured include the collection of Robert Bennett, a well known mining geologist who spent a good part of his career working the Goldfield district. During his 45-plus year career, he collected high grade ore specimens from many major mines he was lucky enough to work on, and these are dutifully included in this sale, as are gold and fabulous turquoise specimens from longtime collector Jerry Gray of Carson City.

*Our friend Vern Potter, a national ephemera dealer known to all, retired from the business and gave us his massive collection, some of which is here, including gold rush era exchanges, important maps, and special documents you haven’t seen in decades (more in coming sales!). Added to this are pieces from the Ken Prag Collection, which keeps on coming with great rarities!

*Gold rush era coins, such as a complete Hart gold token set, -all graded and holdered; a number of Carson City coins; a fabulous 999 fine golden egg custom made for an Arizona collector in 1982; gold rush era soda bottles in hues of cobalt blue, teal, green from San Francisco, Sacramento and Savannah; Nevada mining camp bottles; Pawnee Bill full color posters – an integral part of Western history all supplement an otherwise terrific sale; and choice western mining photographs.

*Rare books with a mining theme are also present, from several collections, including the Robert Fulton collection (former head of Univ. Nevada, reno in the 1920’s). A key piece from one of the collections is an inscribed Sutro Tunnel book to Melville Atwood from the “Father of Arizona” Charles D. Poston.

*The mining stock certificate collections offered here are among the best ever offered by us. They include four major collections. including the Laguna Collection of rare Arizona stocks, part of a major Bodie collection, antique firearms, and rare Tahoe gaming chips.

*Western revenue checks with a focus on the Comstock Lode

Auction Schedule

Day One (Lots 1000-1755)
Numismatics (1000-1577)
U.S. Mint (1000-1068)
Coins & Coins Collectibles (1069-1208)
Ingots (1209-1215)
Currency, Scrip, & Currency Collectibles (1216-1357)
Checks & Exchanges (1358-1424)
Tokens (1425-1489)
Medals (1490-1553)
Scales (1554-1581)

Wells Fargo & Other Express (1582-1693)
Adams & Co. (1582-1606)
Wells Fargo (1607-1676)
Other Express (1677-1693)

World’s Fair & Expositions (1694-1707)

Gaming (1708-1728)

Jewelry & Watches (1729-1755)


Day Two (Lots 1756-1770) & (Lots 2000-2731)
Gold Nuggets & Specimens (1756-1770)
Minerals (2000-2149)
Mining Part I (2150-2731)
Assay (2150-2278)
Explosives (2279-2291)
Mining Lighting (2292-2298)
Mining Artifacts & Tools (2299-2231)
Mining Art (2232-2354)
Geographic (Alabama-California) (2355-2731)

Day Three (Lots 3000-3727)
Mining Part II
Geographic (Colorado-Foreign) (3000-3691)
Books (3692-3727)

Day Four (Lots 4000-4717)
Bottles (4000-4094)
Railroadiana (4095-4222)
Passes (4095-4176)
Ephemera (4177-4222)
Civil War (4223-4259)
Pawnee Bill Broadsides (4260 & 4261)
Firearms & Weaponry (4262-4315)
General Americana feat. California & Georgia Gold Rush Ephemera
Geographic Sort (4316-4637)
Miscellaneous incl. Art, General Store, Maps, & Books (4638-4717)





SHIPPING & HANDLING: Shipping and Handling cannot be estimated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. All shipping is subject to a minimum charge of $19.00. If additional shipping and handling costs are required, the buyer will be reinvoiced for the balance due. Items are not shipped until the invoice is completely paid. Many buyers purchase a number of lots. Every effort will be made to include all lots in a single shipping charge calculated to cover the weight and size of the package(s). NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension, or weight) may require sp...
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Davidson Copper Mining Company Stock Certificate3560 - Davidson Copper Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 763 for 100 shares to George S Gootee in 1867. Signed by president John L Williams and secretary Brooks. Incorporated in North Carolina in 1861
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p*******r for (80.00 + 20.00BP) = 100.00
 
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Ward Gold Mine Company Stock Certificate, Number 53561 - Ward Gold Mine Company Stock Certificate, Number 5
Holabird Western Americana Collections
450 shares to William R Smith. Signed by secretary N(icholas) Stith and president A B(assett) Stith . Dr. Nicholas Stith was the pioneer in developing
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to A*******s for (700.00 + 175.00BP) = 875.00
 
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Copper Knob Mining Company Stock Certificate3562 - Copper Knob Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Simple, but in Very Fine condition. Number 10821 for 100 shares to George B Wooldridge in 1882. Signed by president (?) and secretary Edward Mulford(?
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 50.00 - 100.00
Sold to p*******r for (30.00 + 7.50BP) = 37.50
 
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Telos Gold Hill Company Stock Certificate3563 - Telos Gold Hill Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 260 fro 1,350 shares to Henry Schoonmaker in 1853. In 1860 Schoonmaker and associates incorporated the Silver Hill Mining Company. Signed by se
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 300.00 - 500.00
Sold to c********3 for (400.00 + 100.00BP) = 500.00
 
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Very Early McCullock Copper & Gold Mining Company Prospectus3564 - Very Early McCullock Copper & Gold Mining Company Prospectus
Holabird Western Americana Collections
This report on the McCullock was published in July of 1853. 8.5 x 5.75". 23 pages. One map. 9 x 20". Deep blue, hard paper cover. Folds an...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 1,000.00
Sold to T*****e for (400.00 + 100.00BP) = 500.00
 
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North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Stock Certificate3565 - North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 65 (EARLY) for 250 shares to Fidelity Insurance. Signed by president William Morris Davis and treasurer Henry C. Davis. 1882. Extra fine. Two v
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p*******r for (80.00 + 20.00BP) = 100.00
 
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North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Stock Certificate 23566 - North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Stock Certificate 2
Holabird Western Americana Collections
VERY EARLY Number 6 for 250 shares to George Herbert Brown. Signed by president William Morris Davis and treasurer Henry C. Davis. 1882. This may be t
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p*******r for (80.00 + 20.00BP) = 100.00
 
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The Original Conrad Hill Gold & Copper Mining Company Stock Certificate3567 - The Original Conrad Hill Gold & Copper Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Early number 14 for 500 shares to Marshal H Pinnix. Signed by secretary Irwin and none-other-than president WP Conrad. Vignette of underground miners.
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to T*****e for (450.00 + 112.50BP) = 562.50
 
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Pair of Piedmont Tin Mining Company Stock Certificates3568 - Pair of Piedmont Tin Mining Company Stock Certificates
Holabird Western Americana Collections
1) Number 474 for 5,000 shares to George R Fishburne in May of 1909. Signed by president William P Corwell and secretary AE Yartjins. The '474&#...
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
Sold to c*********p for (90.00 + 22.50BP) = 112.50
 
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Granville Gold Company of New York Specimen Proof3569 - Granville Gold Company of New York Specimen Proof
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Nice looking blue on white specimen for the Granville Gold Company of New York. Incorporated in New York. This mine was located two miles southeast of
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to A*******s for (40.00 + 10.00BP) = 50.00
 
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Granville Gold Company of New York Stock Certificate3570 - Granville Gold Company of New York Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Great Granville certificate with unusual pink backdrops for writing. Number 2011 for 100 shares to JE Mulford in 1879. Signed by secretary Edwin H Mul
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p*******r for (80.00 + 20.00BP) = 100.00
 
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Mecklenburg Gold & Copper Company Stock Certificate3571 - Mecklenburg Gold & Copper Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 250 for 1000 shares to John W Hanson in 1869. Signed by Sam Thompson and (?). Two punch holes for a record keeping book. No edge issues, no cor
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 400.00 - 800.00
Sold to A*******s for (450.00 + 112.50BP) = 562.50
 
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Simpson Gold & Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate3572 - Simpson Gold & Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 708 for 1,000 shares to George H Hill, Agent (for ?). Signed by secretary Goodspeed and AD McClelland. Vignette at left is a sectional scene of
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 150.00 - 250.00
Sold to c****o for (140.00 + 35.00BP) = 175.00
 
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New Russell Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate3573 - New Russell Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Issued to John Robert Hough Thompson for 50 shares in 1885. Signed by officers. English. Cancelled by rubber stamp. The New Russell Mine was located i
Bidding Has Concluded
Start Price : 100.00 | Estimate : 200.00 - 500.00
 
 
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Sam Christian Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate3574 - Sam Christian Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 64 for 500 shares to William Potter. Signed by secretary HB Carpenter and president GA Benson. Writing in top border in ink. Seems to be authen
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to T*****e for (700.00 + 175.00BP) = 875.00
 
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North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Bond3575 - North Carolina Gold Mining and Reduction Company Bond
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Salisbury, Rowan County. Part of the great North Carolina gold rush. Until the 1848 California gold rush this state lead the United States in gold pro
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to p*******r for (225.00 + 56.25BP) = 281.25
 
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Rare Bullion Gold Mining Company of North Carolina Stock Certificate3576 - Rare Bullion Gold Mining Company of North Carolina Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 107 for 500 shares to James Rudeman Jr. Signed by president Josiah Cope and secretary Charles W Wells(?). Side vignette of Native American watc
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 240.00 - 500.00
Sold to A*******s for (300.00 + 75.00BP) = 375.00
 
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Crowell Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate3577 - Crowell Gold Mining Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Issued to EJ Bruiner for 100 shares. Signed by president RB Phip and secretary R Hall. This mine was on a bedded vein with an ore body of four to seve
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to p*******r for (160.00 + 40.00BP) = 200.00
 
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Colossus Gold Mining and Milling Company Stock Certificate3578 - Colossus Gold Mining and Milling Company Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Number 286 for 639 shares to FGB Lloyd in 1905. Extra fine. Two vertical folds. Slight dog ear (unbroken) on bottom left. The Colossus mine is situat
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 100.00 - 200.00
Sold to p*******r for (150.00 + 37.50BP) = 187.50
 
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American Exchange Mining & Smelting Co. Stock Certificate3579 - American Exchange Mining & Smelting Co. Stock Certificate
Holabird Western Americana Collections
Incorporated in North Carolina, issued March 7, 1859 to John W Hanson for 257 shares, signed by P.H. Sullivan as President and E.R. Sprague as secreta
Bidding Has Concluded
Estimate : 200.00 - 400.00
Sold to A*******s for (60.00 + 15.00BP) = 75.00
 
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