2017-08-09 Wed

On 21st July, the Scotsman Auction Co offered several interesting coins on sale as a part of the Missouri Numismatic Society’s 57th Annual Coin Festival at the Saint Charles Convention Centre in Saint Louis.

An 1861 Clark, Gruber & Co. pioneer gold $20 coin, graded EF-40 was sold for $43,700. Clark, Gruber & Co. was a popular private minting firm in Denver that produced many gold coins in 1860 and 1861. The 1861 $20 piece was the largest denomination and was similar to the Coronet double eagle.

The text reads PIKES PEAK instead of LIBERTY and the reverse legend states the name of the firm. Gold miners went to Denver and exchanged gold dust and nuggets for these coins. This was a time period when miners went to the west to make quick bucks. The offered coin has a brassy lustre, with smooth and glossy fields.