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Gold, Silver and the Coins of the American West
This is the second part of:”When Gold Was Money“.
Gold and Silver Share the Same Story
The history of the American West is often divided neatly into the California Gold Rush and Nevada’s great silver discoveries. In reality, the two stories are deeply connected.
Gold brought prospectors west. Their continuing search pushed them into new territory, where they helped uncover the enormous silver and gold wealth of the Comstock. That wealth transformed Nevada and helped create the need for a United States Branch Mint in Carson City.
When the Carson City Mint began striking coins in 1870, precious metal from the American West was being transformed into American money, and that money included gold.
When Gold Really Was Money
Today, most people encounter gold as jewelry, bullion or a precious metal quoted by the ounce. For earlier generations of Americans, gold could literally be money.
The United States produced gold coins ranging from the tiny $1 Gold Dollar through $2.50 Quarter Eagles, $3 gold pieces, $4 dollar gold Stellas, $5 Half Eagles and $10 Eagles to the impressive $20 Double Eagle.
The California Gold Rush itself helped reshape American coinage. Congress authorized both the Gold Dollar and the $20 Double Eagle in 1849 as the nation adapted to its rapidly increasing supply of gold.
Many of these coins circulated and were handled, spent and transported. Others remained in banks and government vaults. Large numbers were eventually melted as America’s monetary system changed.
The surviving gold coins have became pieces of history in their own right.
Collecting the Gold of the American West
For today’s collector, a Carson City gold coin represents far more than its denomination or precious metal content. The CC on the reverse connects it to the prospectors who came west looking for gold, the discovery of the Comstock, the growth of Nevada and the mint established to turn the region’s precious metals into coinage.
More than 150 years after the first coins emerged from its presses, the former Carson City Mint still stands as the home of the Nevada State Museum.
The story of Carson City coinage is often told through silver, especially the Morgan dollar. But its roots reach back to gold. The Gold Rush sent prospectors searching throughout the West. That search helped lead to the Comstock, and the Comstock helped create the need for a mint in Carson City.
Today, the coins that survived allow collectors to hold a small piece of that remarkable history in their hands.
Northern Nevada Coin is located in historic Carson City and specializes in United States coinage, including Carson City gold and silver coins. Browse our selection of certified U.S. coins online or contact us if you are searching for a particular piece for your collection.
Our Website
Enjoy searching one of the country’s most extensive online inventory of rare coins right here on our website. We consider this our fourth store. With stores in Reno, Carson City and Gardnerville you can shop in person or you can shop all three stores at once, including all of our back up boxes, right here online. Of course, if you are in the area our main store is located in historic downtown Carson City and is directly across the street from the Carson City mint. We are just 20 minutes south of Reno and Sparks, and about the same from beautiful Lake Tahoe. We welcome you to visit us and see one of the finest coin shops in the country.
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