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Monitor Gold & Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate-- Samuel Clemens Investment [166925]

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Mining Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 2,000.00 USD
Monitor Gold & Silver Mining Company Stock Certificate-- Samuel Clemens Investment [166925]
SOLD
950.00USDto a********g+ buyer's premium (237.50)
This item SOLD at 2023 Jun 15 @ 13:09UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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This is one of the three mines that Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) had an interest in! "Location, Aurora, Esmeralda District, Mono County, Cal." (printed to the left of vignette). Inc. February 28th, 1863. Low no. 12, issued to president John W. Martin on August 11th, 1863 in Aurora. Signed by Martin and secretary CH Arnold. Black border and print, green underprint, and vignette of the Civil War battleship Monitor. Printed by Towne & Bacon, SF. 25 cent US IR certificate stamp attached on the left. Folds, clean. 4 x 9"

The mine was located on Middle Hill at Aurora. Clemens, along with his friends Higbie, Twing and LaRue formed the Clemens Gold & Silver Mining Co. in 1862 to work 800 feet of the Monitor Lode. On May 11th, 1862, Clemens wrote his brother Orion from Aurora: "I own one-eight of the Monitor ledge, Clemens Company, and money can't buy a foot of it, because I know it to contain our fortune. The ledge is six feet wide and no one needs no glass to see gold & silver in it..." On May 12th, he continued: "I have fully determined that the Monitor which is probably worth twenty five Allen claims, shall be divided into twain someday, because 800 feet is too much to have in one company...if all spare change be devoted to working the Monitor and Flyaway, 12 months, or 24 at furthest, will find our earthly wishes satisfied, so far as money is concerned...When you and I came out here we did not expect '63 or '64 to find us rich men, and if that proposition had been made, we would have accepted it gladly. Now it is made...I shall work the Monitor with my own hands...The rock is exactly like the Antelope, and the ledge is the same width. I hope it may prove as rich."

On May 17th, Clemens wrote Orion to tell him that 2 or 3 of the "old Salina company entered our hole on the Monitor yesterday morning, before our men got there, and took possession, armed with revolvers." "We went up and demanded possession, and they refused. Said they were in the hole, armed, and meant to die in it, if necessary..." Clemens did get back control of the mine. By July, he wanted to sink a 100 ft. shaft but was out of money. Clemens and party sold all or part of their interest to Martin by that summer.

Date: 1863
Country (if not USA):
State: Nevada
City: Aurora
Provenance: