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U.S. Assay Office SF 1853 Rare Gold Dust deposit [169408]

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Ingots Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
U.S.  Assay Office SF 1853 Rare Gold Dust deposit    [169408]

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Curtis, Perry & Ward Memoranda of Gold Bullion, San Francisco, 1853. Exceptionally rare. No. 4400. Deposit by ZS Almy(?) in Sept. 1853. Deposit is 4,073 ounces of gold dust, 932 fineness. Total value is $3,774.24. Printed by Le Count & Strong. Lith. Britton & Rey. 6.5 x 8” Folds, toning.
This firm was composed of Joseph R. Curtis, Philo H. Perry, and Samuel H. Ward. They were partners in New York when they joined with pioneer assayer John Little Moffat. They obtained coining equipment and traveled to San Francisco with the expressed purpose of melting gold dust and nuggets and striking coins. They commenced operations in the summer of 1849.
They soon became the most respected and prominent California private gold coiners. In 1851, they were contracted to produce coins for the newly formed US Assay Office. Although their contract with the US Assay Office did not end until November 1853, the trio separately accepted gold deposits for melting and assaying into bars and ingots. Ward died in July 1853. The remaining partnership continued to operate until the opening of the San Francisco Mint in April 1854. Kellogg & Richter also filled the void in private coin production created by the closing of Curtis, Perry & Ward.
These receipts are extremely rare (maybe 2 known) and highly sought-after Gold Rush bullion documents. San Francisco California Franklin Collection