2037

Helvetia & Lafayette Gold Mining Co. Stock Certificate (100905)

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Mining Start Price:400.00 USD Estimated At:800.00 - 2,000.00 USD
Helvetia & Lafayette Gold Mining Co. Stock Certificate  (100905)
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Extremely rare Gold Rush era; 2-3 known. Grass Valley, Nevada Co., Cal (printed under title). Dateline Grass Valley, Nevada Co., Cal., July 24th, 1855. No. 2286, issued for five shares to George A. Montgomery. Signed by president Carvill Conaway and the secretary (ink nearly gone). Not cancelled. Black print. Two allegorical vignettes of women and a smaller vignette of an eagle. Printed by SF Butler. 3.5 x7.5" Significant condition issues: toning, some foxing, large old tape repairs, small piece missing on left border. According to Mining Magazine (1854), the company was formed in April 1852 with E.R. Baxter president. They had 12 claims (80 ft. each) on Lafayette Hill, as well as claims on Gold and Massachusetts Hills, along with an 18-stamp mill. The vein was originally located by a party of Frenchmen who noticed a small piece of gold-rich quartz. The quartz was buried and thus had been previously overlooked. From April to August 1852, $98,000 was taken out. From August 1852 to Dec. 1853, they took out $84,200 in gold. The Lafayette Hill vein is 2-3 feet in thickness and encased in greenstone, making blasting a necessity. Also contains large volumes of sulphuret of iron. [Ref: Mining Magazine Vol. 3, Tenney, 1854, pgs. 541-542]

Provenance: Ken Prag Collection
Country (if not USA):
State: California
City/County: Grass Valley
Date: 1855